9h agoFri 30 Jan 2026 at 3:42amLive: Australian Open men’s singles semifinals

5m agoFri 30 Jan 2026 at 12:45pm

Djokovic on the ropes?

Novak Djokovic’s body language is hard to read.

(Getty)

He was hunched over several times during the third set, seemingly feeling the pinch, at least physically.

But his effort showed no signs of letting up.

At times he was demonstrative, while Sinner’s only display of emotion was a series of fist pumps when he established a two-sets-to-one lead.

The crowd is dominated by Djokovic’s legion of fans, but there is a healthy number of Sinner supporters, many of whom are proudly waving the Italian national flag.

6m agoFri 30 Jan 2026 at 12:45pm

Sinner broken in the first game of the fourth set

Another advantage of breaking to clinch the set is getting to serve first in the next one.

And he starts perfectly with an ace.

Djokovic uncorks an enormous off forehand from beyond the baseline, clipping the tram line for a winner.

And Sinner responds with another ace to reach 30-15.

But another signal of intent from the Serb as he demolishes a line forehand from behind the baseline and rips a winner to make it 30-30.

A third ace of the game and Sinner has a game point.

But we’re back to deuce as Djokovic continues to show he’s going to try to punish ball that’s even vaguely in the zone on his forehand wing.

It looks like Sinner’s trying to avoid that forehand, and it’s forced him to slap a backhand wide to give Djokovic a break point.

Sinner saves it with a wide serve and drive-volley winner to get back to deuce. Djokovic still looks pretty exhausted, but he’s looked worse and won before.

The down-the-line forehand is flat, fast and deep, and it’s elicited another backhand error from Sinner’s racquet. Another break point for Djoker.

HE’S BROKEN! Ridiculous, vintage defence from the 24-time grand slam champion eventually forces Sinner to go for too much on the forehand and it just goes long.

13m agoFri 30 Jan 2026 at 12:37pmSINNER WINS THE THIRD SET!

And the first point goes to Sinner after Djokovic puts a forehand into the net. That should’ve been an easy return.

He loses another point, oh no! Djokovic attacks with 151 km/h pace but ultimately commits an unforced error long. 0-30

The crowd are right behind him.

And just like that its 0-40!! Set point to Sinner after the Serb goes long yet again!

It’s Sinner’s time to make a mistake here, losing the point with an attempted cross-court response that lands wide. 15-40.

AND NOVAK PUTS A LOB BALL LONG!

SINNER TAKES THE THIRD 6-4 AND GOES AHEAD TWO SETS TO ONE!

This is a HUGE momentum shift in favour of the Italian.

15m agoFri 30 Jan 2026 at 12:36pm

Who will lift and who will crack?

This set is super important for both players.

Djokovic is visibly struggling, placing his hands on his knees after most serves.

Sinner, meanwhile, would be looking at this and wanting to capitalise, which he does.

The Italian has back-to-back love holds. Djokovic needs to hold here to avoid giving Sinner a 2-0 set lead. This will be a big moment.

22m agoFri 30 Jan 2026 at 12:28pm

Sinner holds but Djokovic asks for tablet

A 40-0 service game from the Italian with a couple of aces, as easy as it comes.

Meanwhile, Djokovic was signalling for something. Possibly some kind of fuel to put into his body. You have to remember, this is a 38-year-old man playing up against a 24-year-old.

They give him a sachet but he actually wants a tablet of some sort. We’re not sure what that tablet will do exactly but he was seen coughing aggressively into his towel. This doesn’t look great.

After a bit of shakiness, Djokovic still manages to hold his serve though so we’re at 4-4.

25m agoFri 30 Jan 2026 at 12:25pm

A comfortable hold from the Serb

At 40-0, Djokovic looks like he’s got this in the bag.

But Sinner threatens to come back after the Serbian puts a backhand into the net.

He still manages to hold serve though after Sinner puts a ball to the bottom of the net. That was an odd decision.

Just fyi, it’s almost 90 per cent humidity at the moment in Melbourne.

Djokovic is absolutely covered in sweat. He almost fell into his seat after that last service game from Sinner, dramatically putting his towel over his head and breathing heavily.

(Supplied: Stan)

34m agoFri 30 Jan 2026 at 12:17pm

Sinner double faults at crucial moment but holds, phew

At 30-40 Sinner DOUBLE FAULTS! That is not ideal, AT ALL! 30-40 to the Serbian. He has break point.

But oh Sinner is not letting him have it! He puts a backhand pass behind Djokovic! Sensational, it just clipped the line. 40-40

Sinner then wins a three-shot rally to take the advantage!

Before the next serve, Djokovic does something a little gross, he hocks a loogie (spits, you can hear it on the recording).

Sinner manages to put away an overhead winner and maintains the hold. Everyone can breath now.

It’s 3-2 in the third set.

36m agoFri 30 Jan 2026 at 12:14pm

Trading service games on RLA

At 15-15 on Djokovic’s serve, Sinner claims a sensational backhand winner to claim the point. It literally just dropped in. It was actually a bit of a mis-hit from the Italian.

But Djokovic steadies himself in a long rally where Sinner is the first to produce an error, going wide on his backhand. 30-30

Djokovic unleashes a brilliant 132 km/h forehand winner cross-court. Brilliant.

He’s buying some time in between serves.

And he manages to consolidate his serve.

Djokovic is holding onto his chest after that game and has paused for breath with his hands on his knees.

42m agoFri 30 Jan 2026 at 12:08pm

Sinner keeps his cool

Oh Sinner, he double faults and gifts Djokovic the first point in this game. That’s his first of the match.

But he manages to equal things back up with Djokovic when his ball goes long, just off the baseline.

Another fault from the number four seed — this time it sails into the net. 30-15

And we’re back on at 30-30 after Sinner’s backhand goes long.

We’re only early in this set, but it’s shaping up to be a long one already.

Sinner’s defensive backhand slice draws Djokovic forward, who responds with a weak 55 km/h forehand! Sinner pounces on the short ball, finishing with a backhand cross-court winner to claim the point.

Djokovic then floats a ball into the net.

Sinner survives at a critical moment. It’s 2-1.

48m agoFri 30 Jan 2026 at 12:03pm

We’re on serve here

Djokovic forces two defensive lobs. He capitalises with an aggressive forehand volley, then seals the point with a thunderous 163 km/h overhead smash winner.

Then Sinner’s backhand cross-court lands wide. 30-0

Djokovic then attempts an aggressive forehand cross-court, but it goes long . 30-15.

A precise backhand setup from Djokovic drew Sinner forward, but it came with a weak response from the Italian. Djokovic capitalised brilliantly, striking a forehand winner deep to the ad-court that Sinner couldn’t reach!

The Serb wants to maintain hold here and he manages to close it out with a 201 km/h ace! Classy.

53m agoFri 30 Jan 2026 at 11:58am

Sinner holds serve to love

It’s a great hold by Sinner at 40-0 for the opening of this third set.

That’ll be comforting for the reigning champion.

57m agoFri 30 Jan 2026 at 11:54am

Djokovic takes a change of attire break

The RLA fans are loving this match and Djokovic looks like he is heading off for a costume change.

Sinner, meanwhile, is over by his coaching team, likely asking what he has to do now in the third set to get back ahead.

That set win breaks a 10-set losing streak for Djokovic against Sinner. Big stuff.

1h agoFri 30 Jan 2026 at 11:47amNovak Djokovic squares the ledger at one set each(Getty)

After a gripe with fans being too slow to find their seats, Djokovic serves two massive faults. 0-15

He screams “SIT DOWN” into the crowd.

Bang bang again. Two big serves takes Djokovic to a 30-15 lead.

Sinner gets a look at a second serve but can’t punish it, getting pushed around the baseline and netting an audacious down-the-line forehand. 40-15

Two set points for Djokovic.

HE’S DONE IT! Another baseline rally and Djokovic finishes it with a glorious cross-court winner, sliding into a forehand.

“I thought Novak was on the edge, he was right on the limit and his genius found a way to win the set,” nine-time grand slam doubles champion John Fitzgerald says in commentary for Stan Sport.

1h agoFri 30 Jan 2026 at 11:42am

Sinner tears through service game to stay in second set

Wide serve, short return, plus-one winner. 15-0

Another couple of quick points to get to 40-0 and we look set for another easy service hold as Djokovic conserves energy before serving for the set.

Ace. Hold. Djokovic will serve it out.

1h agoFri 30 Jan 2026 at 11:42am

Djokovic is just one game away now!

Sinner holds and Djokovic fights off a break point on his serve with a boomer down the middle before securing the hold in the same manner.

He’s obviously exhausted as he’s asking the ball kids to come to him as he wipes the sweat off his face.

I thought for a second he was asking one of them to bring him his towel, but no, that’s not allowed anymore.

1h agoFri 30 Jan 2026 at 11:32am

Djokovic taking a breather after that game(Getty)

Djokovic is changing his shirt in the break between games and getting some refreshments from his team.

He takes a little too long in the chair and umpire Damien Dumusois tells him to hurry it up.

Djokovic always asks for a soft warning before getting a violation, and he says he appreciates Dumusois’s warning, but asks for some understanding after such an epic game.

1h agoFri 30 Jan 2026 at 11:25am

Djokovic digs himself out of a hole on serve

A pair of glorious slice backhands sees Djokovic follow it in to the net, but he can only watch and applaud as Sinner whips a cross-court passing shot on the full run to take a 0-15 lead.

And it’s 0-30 in a flash as Djokovic double faults.

Make that 0-40 as Djokovic gets in to the net again but can’t control a backhand volley as Sinner smacks a running two-handed backhand with phenomenal power and top spin, getting it to dip beneath the net.

Tennis! Tennis everywhere as Djokovic charges to the net behind a line-drive forehand. He digs out a half-volley and it taps the net cord and goes over. Sinner somehow gets there but sends it wide. 15-40.

Bang bang! Djokovic back to deuce with unreturnable serves.

HE’S HELD SERVE! What an effort from the 38-year-old to consolidate the break and hold serve from 0-40 down.

1h agoFri 30 Jan 2026 at 11:21am

Sinner is broken for the first time tonight

Sinner stares down two break points and saves both with bombs down the middle that Djokovic can’t get back.

But Djokovic is absolutely demolishing his forehand, running around his backhand more than usual, and setting up a third break point.

And this time he converts! The forced unforced error from Sinner’s forehand wing hands Djokovic a 3-1 lead in the second set.

The sweat is pouring from the Serb as he takes hold of the match’s momentum for the first time.

1h agoFri 30 Jan 2026 at 11:16am

Sinner and Djoker going hold for holdLoading

Djokovic is in front 2-1, but only by virtue of serving first.

This pair are absolutely battering the ball and starting to dictate with their serves.