Australian Open Semifinals: Sinner, Djokovic, Zverev, Shelton Vie for Glory

MELBOURNE, Australia — After 11 days of intense competition at Melbourne Park, the Australian Open men’s singles tournament has narrowed to four semifinalists: defending champion Jannik Sinner, 10-time winner Novak Djokovic, world No. 2 Alexander Zverev, and rising American star Ben Shelton. The semifinals, set for Friday, promise high-stakes drama as each player eyes the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup.

Sinner, the 23-year-old Italian, enters the semifinals as the tournament favorite. He has won 15 of his last 16 Australian Open matches and has yet to face a player who has reached a major semifinal. “I feel like the illness has gone away now,” Sinner said after his dominant quarterfinal win over Alex de Minaur. “Today was a very great match from my side … the best match of the tournament.” Sinner’s precision and consistency have been unmatched, committing the fewest unforced errors among the semifinalists.

Djokovic, the 37-year-old Serbian legend, remains a formidable contender despite battling a leg injury. A 10-time Australian Open champion, Djokovic holds a staggering 20-1 record in semifinals and finals at Melbourne Park. “I’ll take it day by day,” Djokovic said after his quarterfinal victory. “If I manage to somehow be physically good enough, I think mentally, emotionally, I’m as motivated as I can be.” A win would give Djokovic his 25th Grand Slam title, breaking the record he shares with Margaret Court.

Zverev, the German world No. 2, is chasing his first Grand Slam title after reaching 10 major semifinals. He arrives in scintillating form, having won two Masters 1000 titles last year and boasting a 71% first-serve success rate this tournament. “I have set a goal that I want to achieve my dream of winning a Grand Slam,” Zverev said. “I’m doing everything I can to be in another [Grand Slam final] on Sunday.”

Shelton, the 22-year-old American, is the underdog but has shown remarkable growth since his 2023 US Open semifinal appearance. His powerful serve, clocked at 232 kph (144.2 mph), has been a key weapon. “I’m winning in different ways, for sure,” Shelton said. “Everything hasn’t been perfect, but I’ve had to pick up the slack with everything in my game.”

The semifinals will feature Sinner against Shelton and Djokovic against Zverev, with the winners advancing to Sunday’s final. The matches will test each player’s resilience, skill, and determination as they vie for one of tennis’s most prestigious titles.