Novak Djokovic Receives Special Call from Friend Juan Martin del Potro After Epic Australian Open Win over Jannik Sinner

Novak Djokovic dashed two-time defending champion Jannik Sinner's hope of joining him in the record book with a heroic five-set win in the Melbourne semifinal.

Novak Djokovic Receives Special Call from Friend Juan Martin del Potro After Epic Australian Open Win over Jannik Sinner

L-R: Novak Djokovic, Juan Martin del Potro, Jannik Sinner (Image via X/ATP Tour, Jannik Sinner HQ, Instagram/Agostina Larocca)

Whosoever gave the warning to Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner that it’s impossible to write off Novak Djokovic in Grand Slam events was not wrong after all. Ageless Djokovic has shocked the tennis world once again by toppling two-time defending champion Sinner in the 2026 Australian Open semifinal to reach a Major final for the first time since the 2024 Wimbledon.

In a marathon semifinal that lasted four hours and nine minutes, Djokovic snapped his five-match losing streak against the Italian to ruin his hopes of setting his name down in the record books. Had Sinner won and defeated Alcaraz in Sunday’s final, he would have joined the Serb to become the second man in the Open Era to complete a three-peat of the Melbourne Slam.

It was one of his best matches of all time, and emotions ran high right after his victory. For Djokovic, the semifinal win felt like he won a Grand Slam because of Sinner’s nearly invincible status in the last two years. On the day before the semifinal, Djokovic’s rival-turned-friend, Juan Martin del Potro, expressed his hope of watching Nole versus Alcaraz final in a now viral X post.

The Argentine, in fact, had a video call with Djoker during his interview with ESPN in Spanish. “You’re incredible, Nole. What a joy, my friend,” said del Potro, who defeated Djokovic in his farewell match in an exhibition event in December 2024.

Thank you, my friend, thank you. I saw your message on Twitter…you’re a magician. Please don’t give me your prediction for the final!

Novak Djokovic said

Sinner was the reason why Djokovic failed to reach the finals of the 2024 Australian Open, 2025 French Open, and Wimbledon the same year. Djokovic has now improved his head-to-head record over the four-time Grand Slam champion to 5-6.

Yes, exactly. It took a huge amount of intensity and energy to beat an incredible player like Sinner. Thank you, my friend, I love you.

Novak Djokovic said to Juan Martin del Potro

In the previous semifinal on Friday, Alcaraz also produced one of his best Grand Slam performances. In what was also the longest semifinal at Melbourne Park– it lasted for five hours and 27 minutes- the Spaniard broke the head-to-head tie to take a 7-6 lead and ruined Alexander Zverev‘s hope of winning his career’s first Grand Slam title.

Novak Djokovic shuts the critics by downing Jannik Sinner

Before the semifinal, Novak Djokovic got quite angry when a reporter asked him how it felt to chase Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. The winner of 24 Grand Slam titles felt the question was disrespectful toward him, arguing how come he was the chaser when in fact he is the mountain the players are trying to climb.

Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic (Image via X/Lacoste)

So after conquering Sinner, Djokovic seized the moment to give a sharp response to all his doubters and the critics who wanted him to hang up his racket and live a quiet retired life.

I never stopped doubting, I never stopped believing in myself [but] there’s a lot of people that doubt me, and there’s a lot of experts, all of a sudden, that wanted to retire me, or have retired me many times in the last couple of years. But I want to thank them all because they gave me strength, they gave me motivation to prove them wrong, which I have tonight. For me, it’s not a surprise, to be honest, I know what I’m capable of.

Novak Djokovic said at the press conference

Djokovic knows the job is not done yet. He has another tough challenge awaiting him on February 1st. Both him and Alcaraz will be wishing to be ready physically after their marathon semifinals.

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