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Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev face off in Australian Open semi-finals

University (according to VnExpress) January 24, 2025 12:05

Championship contenders Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev will face off in the Australian Open semi-finals as they aim for career milestones.

Djokovic (trái) động viên Alcaraz, sau trận tứ kết Australia Mở rộng trên sân Rod Laver, Melbourne hôm 21/1. Ảnh:Reuters
Djokovic (left) encourages Alcaraz, after the Australian Open quarter-final match at Rod Laver Stadium, Melbourne on January 21.

*Djokovic - Zverev: 10:30 today January 24, Hanoi time.

Djokovic is on his way to a record 25th Grand Slam singles title and 100 ATP Tour titles. Zverev is aiming to win his first major event, after nine semi-finals and one final loss.

Djokovic overcame some fitness issues to beat Carlos Alcaraz in the quarter-finals. It was a great match for Nole, with many incredible saves and finishes. The destructive machine is back, giving the Serb full confidence to conquer the milestone of 11 titles in Melbourne.

However, Djokovic also showed all his abilities and tricks in the match against Alcaraz, things that Zverev has certainly studied. Unlike Alcaraz, Zverev has a lot of experience at the top as well as experience playing Djokovic with 12 encounters. The German player has won against his senior in big matches, such as the 2020 Olympic semi-finals, the ATP Finals final and the Masters 1000 final.

Djokovic still has an 8-4 advantage over Zverev, including the quarterfinals and semi-finals of the Grand Slam. If he continues to play like he did against Alcaraz, Nole will have the upper hand in this reunion with Zverev. However, at 37 years old, Djokovic's recovery is a big question mark.

The Serbian player exhausted himself for three hours and 37 minutes against Alcaraz, and before that, he played more than 11 hours in the first four rounds. According to Djokovic, he had physical problems, with a sore leg and difficulty breathing. To defeat Alcaraz, the 24-time Grand Slam winner had to receive painkillers and it is not clear whether the pain has fully recovered after two days of rest. If he is not in ideal physical condition, Djokovic will certainly have a difficult time against Zverev - who has only lost two sets since the beginning of the tournament.

Zverev is a different type of player than Alcaraz, holding most of his service games with a service that is among the best on the ATP Tour. The German also plays a solid baseline game and is increasingly mentally strong. In his quarterfinal against Tommy Paul, Zverev saved all set points in the first two sets, then took his opponent to a tie-break and won both nerve-wracking series.

"I'm prepared for a tough match," Zverev said of his 13th meeting with Nole. "It's definitely a tough match and a high level. I know my level. I'm familiar with Djokovic and I've beaten him before. Hopefully I can do it again."

Zverev has a good relationship with Djokovic off the court. The two played a practice match before the Australian Open when the second seed agreed to participate in the charity event "Djokovic's Night." Djokovic won the practice set, but it had little professional significance. Since that friendly match, things have changed for Djokovic, as he has been in a series of long matches with his fitness in question.

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Djokovic (right) and Zverev in a practice match before the 2025 Australian Open

In preparation for what promises to be a long battle with Zverev, Nole skipped a scheduled 90-minute practice session on the morning of January 23. He seems to want to repeat the strategy of 2023, when he skipped practice sessions to conserve energy and then defeated all opponents to win the 10th title.

Djokovic will certainly want to finish the semi-final early if given the chance, and Zverev, on the other hand, is ready to push the match to the limit in the fifth set. Nole’s stamina is once again being tested by his juniors – some of the best players on the ATP right now. However, he may be helped by the weather, with temperatures forecast to reach just 20 degrees in Melbourne today, much cooler than previous days and years. It will suit Djokovic, the third oldest Australian Open semi-finalist after Ken Rosewall and Roger Federer.

In the second semi-final, which will take place at 3:30 p.m. today, top seed Jannik Sinner will face young talent Ben Shelton. Sinner is on a 19-match winning streak at the hard-court Grand Slam, which began at last year's Australian Open. He has beaten Shelton in all four previous meetings, and if the American fails to find a suitable game plan, he could face the same fate as Alex de Minaur, who has lost to Sinner in all 10 meetings, including the quarter-final two days ago.

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Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev face off in Australian Open semi-finals