Novak Djokovic says he was ‘shocked’ by how badly he played in Friday’s semi-final defeat to Jannik Sinner at the Australian Open and believes it is one of his worst-ever Grand Slam displays.
The Serbian has been the dominant force in Melbourne for over a decade and was looking to add his 11th title at this year’s tournament – and a 25th major to put him clear of Maragret Court.
But he was beaten 6-1 6-2 6-7 (6-8) 6-3 in a bruising encounter, with the much younger Sinner dominating the contest.
Incredibly, it is the first time Djokovic has ever lost a semi-final at the Australian Open, having won the previous 10, and it is his first defeat in Melbourne since a shock loss to Chung Hyeon in 2018.
