And then there were four.
The men’s semifinals are set for tonight at the Australian Open, and history is on the line for all four semifinalists in Melbourne. They just happen to be the top four seeds. Don’t you love it when a plan comes together?
tennis express pro player gear
This is the first time the top four seeds have reached the final four at the Australian Open since 2013, and the first time at any Grand Slam since the 2019 French Open. So what’s at stake down under this weekend?
Top-seeded Carlos Alcaraz is aiming to become the youngest man in history to complete the career Grand Slam. Two-time defending champion Jannik Sinner seeks a third consecutive Australian Open title. Third-seeded Alexander Zverev is hunting his first major title, and 10-time champion Novak Djokovic—the de facto GOAT—is chasing a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title.
Men’s tennis has an absolute embarrassment of riches at the moment. Alcaraz and Sinner, the two-headed tour de force at the top of the food chain, have won each of the last eight men’s singles titles at the Slams. They became the first pair of rivals to contest three Grand Slam finals in a single season in the Open Era last year, and it looks like they may just do it again.
If Sinner wins a third consecutive title here, he will become only the fourth player in history to achieve the “hat-trick” in Melbourne—and just the second in the Open Era after Djokovic.
Alcaraz vs ZverevCategoryCarlos AlcarazAlexander ZverevOverall H2H66Hard Court H2H35Grand Slam H2H22Last MeetingAlcaraz (6-4, 6-3, Cincinnati 2025)—AO Best ResultSemifinals (2026)Finalist (2025)Sets Dropped (AO 26)04
Meanwhile, at 22 years old, Alcaraz would become the youngest man to complete the career Grand Slam with a win. The Spaniard has been untouchable, yet to drop a set through five matches. If he lifts his seventh major trophy on Sunday, he passes legends Bjorn Borg and Rafael Nadal for the most Grand Slam titles won before turning 22.
Still in the mix, and hoping to spoil the “Sincaraz” party, are Djokovic and Zverev. Djokovic faces Sinner, the man who knocked him out of two majors in the semifinals last year. If the Serbian icon can find a way through, he would become the first player—male or female—to win 25 majors, and the oldest player to ever win a major singles title.
Zverev, who faces Alcaraz, is bidding to become the first German man to win a Grand Slam title since Boris Becker in 1996. He’s split his 12 previous meetings with Alcaraz, so the stage is set for a battle.
Sinner v DjokovicCategoryJannik SinnerNovak DjokovicOverall H2H64Grand Slam H2H32Win Streak5 Matches0Last MeetingSinner (6-3, 6-3, 6-4, Wimbledon 2025)—AO Best ResultWinner (2024, 2025)Winner (10 Titles)Career Major Titles424
The odds to appear to be stacked against Djokovic. He’s lost five consecutive matches to Sinner, including Grand Slam semifinals in Paris and Wimbledon last year, and hid performance against Lorenzo Musetti in the quarterfinals didn’t exactly inspire. Djokovic was down two sets to love when the Italian pulled the plug with what looked to be an adductor tear.
On the flipside, Djokovic is rested, having only spent nine hours and seven minutes on court, thanks to the Musetti retirement and his walkover in the round of 16.
Will it make a difference against scorching hot Sinner, who has won 18 consecutive matches at the Australian Open and 20 in succession on tour, dating back to the start of his run to the Vienna title last fall?
One would think that Zverev has the better shot at an upset, given how well he’s playing and the fact that he’s managed six wins over Alcaraz already.
That said, Alcaraz has rocked up brilliantly in Melbourne, erasing any questions about a possible malaise brought on by his parting of the ways with longtime coach Juan Carlos Ferrero. There appears to be no ill effects there, Alcaraz is thriving and looking as motivated as ever.
The odds say Sinner and Alcaraz will play in another final come Sunday, and it’s hard to bet against them.