“It felt like it was finals of a Slam,” Novak Djokovic mentioned after outsmarting Carlos Alcaraz in a come-from-behind win within the Australian Open quarterfinals on Tuesday. However greater than the tactical masterclass that Djokovic served within the match, the Serb overcame a significant harm concern that just about left him getting ready to “retiring” from the match. He had taken a medical time-out through the opening set and returned with a strapped higher left thigh whereas popping drugs twice through the match.
Novak Djokovic will face Alexander Zverev in Australian Open semifinal
On Friday, Djokovic will endure one other stiff take a look at when he takes on second seed Alexander Zverev within the first semifinal, scheduled for the afternoon at Rod Laver Area. However the larger query stays—will the Serb be bodily match for the battle?
The 37-year-old skipped coaching periods on back-to-back days for the reason that quarterfinal, sparking threats over his harm. Whereas one nonetheless has to attend to see if he turns up on the apply court docket on Friday morning earlier than the match, Djokovic has been no stranger to overcoming the hardest bodily battles. Melbourne itself has been a witness to 2 such campaigns.
In 2023, he claimed to have had a 3cm tear in his left hamstring and performed with a heavy strapping en path to beating Stefanos Tsitsipas within the last. Two years earlier, he had incurred an stomach harm, and en path to the title, he beat Zverev in 4 units within the quarterfinal.
However the Zverev he’ll face on Friday afternoon, shall be a stronger and higher model of himself, with the power to linger round and tempo himself properly for all 5 units, and make Djokovic work for each level amid is harm considerations.
Novak Djokovic vs Alexander Zverev: Head-to-head tie
Djokovic does have the sting over Zverev of their head-to-head battles, having gained eight of their 12 conferences, together with a dominating 3-0 report at Slams, however the consequence will largely depend upon how well-rested he’s after that quarterfinal match. Though Zverev’s final win towards the Serb dates again to 2021, it stays one of the vital crushing blows Djokovic suffered, because the German overturned a set and break deficit within the semifinal conflict en path to profitable the gold. The 37-year-old will know that Zverev is properly rested on this second week of the Slam, the place he dropped simply two units.
Novak Djokovic vs Alexander Zverev: What’s on the road?
For Djokovic, he stands simply two wins away from claiming an unprecedented twenty fifth Main and a record-extending eleventh Australian Open title. It is going to even be his first main since lifting the US Open title in 2023.
For Zverev, who surpassed Boris Becker for essentially the most match wins in Melbourne en path to the semifinal, he nonetheless eyes his maiden Slam. For the higher a part of his early profession, the lanky German was touted because the “next big thing.” However he did not transpire it in massive occasions, till the 2020 US Open, when he reached his first last, the place he suffered a heartbreaking loss after taking a two-set lead. Since then, he a minimum of made the semis in 5 of the 15 Slams, which incorporates the French Open last final 12 months, however once more misplaced after taking a two-set-to-one lead.
Novak Djokovic vs Alexander Zverev: Who will win?
Regardless of Melbourne having witnessed an improved Zverev, if a fit-again Djokovic turns up on the Rod Laver Area on Friday, he will certainly guide that spot within the last.