Goran Ivanisevic predicts Australian Open winner between Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner are at 4-4 in their head-to-head meetings, with the Italian winning their last three matches on the tour.

Goran Ivanisevic predicts Australian Open winner between Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic, Goran Ivanisevic, Jannik Sinner (Images via X)

Novak Djokovic has made another stride forward in his bid to win his 25th Grand Slam title. He overcame Carlos Alcaraz in four sets in the quarterfinals at the Australian Open to reach his 50th Grand Slam semifinal.

He will next lock horns with 2nd seed Alexander Zverev in the semifinals and if he makes it to the summit clash, then there’s a possibility of him meeting World No.1 Jannik Sinner, who is the favorite to win against two-time Major semifinalist Ben Shelton in the last four.

According to Djokovic’s former coach Goran Ivanisevic, the 1st seed is the favorite to defend his title but he didn’t write off Djokovic because even at the age of 37, many youngsters are no match for him.

Yes, he can win. I mean Sinner is the favorite. He’s the best player in the world at the moment. But Novak is Novak. And when he’s present on the court, then I always put my money on Novak.

Goran Ivanisevic said on The Tennis podcast

Zverev, the two-time Grand Slam finalist, has defeated Djokovic four times in their 12 meetings. Sinner, who breezed past local man Alex de Minaur in the quarterfinals, however, is tied on the head-to-head record against Djokovic 4-4 and had emerged as the winner in their previous three meetings.

The Italian lifted the Australian Open last year after coming from two sets down to beat Daniil Medvedev. En route to the final, he had knocked out Djokovic in four sets in the semifinal.

Goran Ivanisevic explains Novak Djokovic’s approach to tennis that helped him stay away from injuries

For Goran Ivanisevic, Novak Djokovic is a ‘perfectionist’ and a ‘genius’ because he wants to be ‘100% every day’. He thinks the way Djokovic took care of his body helped him avoid injuries more than his three big rivals, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Andy Murray.

Novak Djokovic (6)
Novak Djokovic (Image via X)

With him, it’s how he approached the matches, how he approached the practice, how he takes care of his body. ‘Cause if you see his career, he’s probably…among Rafa, him, Roger, and Andy, he was always most fit and with least injury. That’s why he was caring of his body, with his eating, with his exercise, so he’s still here.

Goran Ivanisevic said on The Tennis podcast

Federer, Murray, and Nadal have retired and Djokovic is now the only member of the Big 4 to be playing. The 25-time Grand Slam champion parted ways with the Croatian coach in March last year and made Murray his next coach. Ivanisevic then had a short coaching stint with Elena Rybakina.