NOVAK DJOKOVIC defeated Carlos Alcaraz in a late-night thriller at the Australian Open to book a semi-final spot against Alexander Zverev, while defending women’s champion Aryna Sabalenka fought through to the last four.
Djokovic, 37, claimed a 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 victory at Rod Laver Arena, securing the win close to 1 am. The Serb, who has won the Australian Open 10 times, is now just two wins away from an 11th title and a record 25th Grand Slam trophy.
"I just wish that this match today was the final," Djokovic said after the match, describing it as one of the most memorable matches he has played on the court.
Djokovic, who had his thigh heavily strapped, appeared to struggle at the end of the first set but rallied back strongly.
The match extended Djokovic’s career head-to-head lead over Alcaraz to 5-3.
Alcaraz, the 21-year-old world number three from Spain, had hoped to progress beyond the quarter-finals in Melbourne for the first time.
Reflecting on his performance, Alcaraz admitted he missed a key opportunity. "I'm going to say that was the biggest mistake that I made today," he said.
With former rival Andy Murray in his coaching corner, Djokovic showcased his trademark defiance, gesturing to the crowd after winning critical points.
The Serb was also at the centre of a controversy earlier in the week when he demanded and received an apology from a local TV presenter for "insulting" remarks.
In the semi-final, Djokovic will face Germany's Alexander Zverev, who overcame American Tommy Paul 7-6 (7/1), 7-6 (7/0), 2-6, 6-1 in windy conditions.
Zverev lost his composure during the match when a feather disrupted play but recovered to dominate the final set.
On the women’s side, Aryna Sabalenka kept her dream of a third consecutive Australian Open title alive with a hard-fought 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 win over Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.
Sabalenka, who is aiming to become the first player to achieve this feat since Martina Hingis in 1999, described the match as challenging due to windy conditions.
"Honestly I was just praying, trying to put the ball back in these tough conditions," she said after the match.
Sabalenka will face Spain's Paula Badosa in the semi-finals. Badosa, ranked 11th, defeated world number three Coco Gauff 7-5, 6-4 to reach her first Grand Slam semi-final.
Badosa reflected on her journey, saying, "A year ago, I was here with my back and I didn't know if I had to retire from this sport, and now I'm here playing against the best in the world."
The tournament continues on Wednesday with world number one Jannik Sinner playing Alex de Minaur and Iga Swiatek facing Emma Navarro.
(With inputs from AFP)
