Melbourne, January 26, 2024, The Europe Today: Novak Djokovic expressed astonishment at his performance during the Australian Open semifinal, labeling it as one of the worst displays in his illustrious career spanning more than 400 Grand Slam matches. The 24-times Grand Slam champion suffered a 6-1, 6-2, 6-7 (6), 6-3 defeat at the hands of 22-year-old Italian Jannik Sinner.
Djokovic, a dominant force in men’s tennis, acknowledged that he was outplayed by Sinner and expressed disappointment in his own performance. The Serbian player, however, remained optimistic about his future endeavors in the sport and cautioned against prematurely assessing the trajectory of his career.
He remarked, “I was shocked at my level in a bad way. There was not much I was doing right in the first two sets. I guess this is one of the worst Grand Slam matches I’ve ever played. At least that I remember.”
Despite the loss, Djokovic highlighted the pride he takes in his achievements on the Melbourne hardcourts, where he has secured 10 titles and a remarkable 94 victories out of 103 matches played over 19 campaigns.
Sinner’s victory brought an end to Djokovic’s 33-match winning streak at the Australian Open, dating back to 2018, and marked his first loss in 11 Melbourne semifinals. Djokovic acknowledged the inevitability of the streak ending and expressed hope for future opportunities to compete at a high level.
The absence of Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Rafael Nadal in the Australian Open final on Sunday marks the end of an era in men’s tennis. Djokovic, when questioned about the toll of his 36 years, maintained optimism for the rest of the season, emphasizing his high hopes for other Grand Slam events, the Olympics, and various tournaments.
“I still have high hopes for other slams, Olympics, and whatever tournaments that I’ll play. This tournament hasn’t been up to my standard, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s the beginning of the end,” Djokovic concluded.
