Australian Open: Novak Djokovic knocks out Carlos Alcaraz in quarter-final clash, dreams of record 25th title

Serbian Novak Djokovic wins the quarter-finals of the Australian Open. MAXPPP – PATRICK HAMILTON

He can still dream of a record 25th Grand Slam title. After an intense fight against Carlos Alcaraz (world number 3), the ten-time winner of the Australian Open Novak Djokovic qualified for the semi-finals in Melbourne on the night of Tuesday to Wednesday.

Ten-time Australian Open winner Novak Djokovic, in search of a record 25th Grand Slam title in Melbourne, beat world No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz in the quarter-final clash on Tuesday night.

The Serb won 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 against the 21-year-old Spaniard, who was hoping to become the youngest player in history to win all 4 Grand Slam tournaments. He will face the world number 2, the German Alexander Zverev, in the semi-finals on Friday.

The 37-year-old Serb has brushed aside a first major opponent in his quest to become the most successful player in the history of the four major tournaments of world tennis (Australian Open, Roland-Garros, Wimbledon, US Open). He currently shares the record with Australian legend Margaret Court (24 titles each).

At 21, Carlos Alcaraz saw his dream of becoming the youngest winner in the history of the four Grand Slam tournaments shattered by the Serb's relentless domination in Melbourne. The Spaniard will have one last chance to accomplish this feat at the next edition of the Australian Open, but remains stuck for the second year in a row at the quarter-final stage in Melbourne.

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Djokovic is back in the semi-finals, a year after being stopped at the threshold of the final by Jannik Sinner (world No. 1), on the road to his first Grand Slam title. This year, the Serb and the Italian will not be able to face each other before the final. Before thinking about the title match, the “Djoker” will in any case have to focus on his next opponent, world No. 2 Alexander Zverev, just as hungry as him since he is still chasing his first major title at 27 years old.

The German, trailing 8-4 by Djokovic in their direct confrontations, on Tuesday eliminated the American Tommy Paul in four sets to reach the semi-finals for the third time at the Australian Open (2020, 2024, 2025). Faced with Alcaraz's boundless energy, his drop shots placed just in front of the net and his heavy crosscourt shots, Djokovic once again showed the extent of his talent and his unfailing fighting spirit.

Endurance exercise

Stripped of the first set by the Spaniard – on a shutout concluded by an ace – after leading 2-0, the Serb took over his opponent's serve in the second game of the second set, before confirming the break to lead 3-0. Three games later, it was all to be done again (3-3). Djokovic, however, achieved a decisive break at 5-4 in his favour, in turn inflicting a shutout on his opponent to return to a set each. The two players kept their serve until the sixth game of the third set. While Alcaraz led 40-15 on his serve, Djokovic managed to snatch the game from him, giving himself a decisive advantage to win the set (6-3). At 4-2 for Djokovic in the fourth act, the Serb obtained a double break point, saved by Alcaraz at the end of a long rally of 33 exchanges which left the two players prostrated with exhaustion on their rackets, to the cheers of the crowd heated to white heat by this exercise of endurance. After holding his serve, the Spaniard had two break points to get back to 4-4, but Djokovic warded off the danger one last time to win the set 6-4 and extend his Australian epic.