Italy’s Davis Cup Captain Exposes Jannik Sinner’s Biggest Weakness After Australian Open Defeat to Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic snapped his five-match losing streak against Jannik Sinner in the Australian Open semifinal.
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Novak Djokovic, Jannik Sinner (Image via X/Danny, Jannik Sinner HQ)
Jannik Sinner crashed out of the 2026 Australian Open in the semifinals with a five-set defeat to eventual runner-up Novak Djokovic in four hours and nine minutes. It was his first defeat at Melbourne Park since 2023, as he was playing as the two-time defending champion, and another win would have made him the second man after the Serb to complete a three-peat of this Major.
This is the eighth time Sinner has played a match that lasted over three hours and 50 minutes. He has yet to clinch a win in those matches. Italy’s Davis Cup captain Filippo Volandri thinks the four-time Grand Slam champion needs to play more five-set matches to tackle the weakness of losing marathon matches.
Sinner doesn’t yet know himself well enough in the fifth set. He doesn’t yet know how to manage himself when he gets to the fifth set. He hasn’t played enough fifth-set matches to fully understand his body and how he feels in those moments.
Filippo Volandri told SuperTennis TV
Alcaraz has won 12 of his 13 matches that have ended after three hours and 50 minutes, including last year’s French Open final against the World No.2. The match lasted for five hours and 29 minutes and saw the seven-time Major champion overcome a two-set deficit and save three championship points to defend his crown.
That’s normal, because in his last eight five-set matches, he didn’t lose because he was weaker, but perhaps because he doesn’t yet have that experience. However, there’s optimism; with time, he’ll become a devastating player in the fifth set as well.
Paolo Lorenzi said during the same interview
Before defeating Djokovic in the Australian Open final, Alcaraz featured in the longest semifinal of the Melbourne Slam, where, despite dealing with cramps, he defeated last year’s runner-up, Alexander Zverev, after five hours and 27 minutes. The win over Djokovic has made Alcaraz the youngest man in the Open Era to complete the Career Grand Slam.
Rafael Nadal comments on Novak Djokovic-Jannik Sinner Australian Open final
Rafael Nadal doesn’t think Jannik Sinner will suffer from form issues after his defeat in the Australian Open final to Novak Djokovic. It was the first time since the 2024 Wimbledon quarterfinal that Sinner failed to make the championship match of a Grand Slam tournament.
I think the semifinal with Djokovic was very difficult for Sinner. He was the favorite to win, but he met a player that has a very special history with this tournament. He had many opportunities, but he couldn’t use them, because Novak upped his level in the right moment. I think you can learn from everything, losses and wins.
Rafael Nadal told Sky Sports
Nadal was in the stands of the Rod Laver Arena when Djokovic clashed with Carlos Alcaraz in the Australian Open final. Both Alcaraz and Djokovic showered the 22-time Grand Slam champion with tributes during the trophy presentation. Alcaraz, in fact, broke Nadal’s Career Grand Slam record as the latter completed the feat at the age of 24 after beating Djokovic in the 2010 US Open. Alcaraz has done it at 22.
The win over Sinner helped the 38-year-old improve his head-to-head record to 5-6. It was also Djokovic’s first victory over the South Tyrol native after five consecutive defeats, three of which came in Grand Slam semifinals.
The win helped Djokovic reach a Grand Slam final for the first time since the 2024 Wimbledon (lost to Alcaraz). Djokovic, the 10-time Australian Open champion, last won this Major in 2023 by defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas, while the last time he won a Grand Slam title was in the 2023 US Open by beating Daniil Medvedev.
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