Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner’s semifinal match at the Australian Open has been scheduled for the night. Some are assuming this benefits Djokovic, but not according to the former five-time Grand Slam champion.
Paul McNamee shared his views on the night scheduling for the semifinal between Djokovic and Sinner. The 71-year-old said the schedule actually benefits Sinner, given his struggles playing in extreme heat conditions at Melbourne Park. Therefore, it’s the Serb who is at a disadvantage against the defending Australian Open champion.
“Many are saying night scheduling helps Novak Djokovic due to his age,” McNamee wrote on X. “I disagree…it helps Jannik Sinner far more, as his vulnerability is exposed in the heat of the day. If Novak can win this match, it will be historic, not that the 10 time champ here needs to create any more.”
McNamee was referring to Sinner’s third-round clash against Eliot Spizzirri, where the Italian lost the first set and suffered with cramps before coming back in style when the roof got shut down.
Djokovic reached another Australian Open semifinal after his quarterfinal opponent, Lorenzo Mussetti, retired due to a leg injury. The Serb was two sets down but had a break in the third set before the decision was made. Meanwhile, Sinner had a convincing win against Ben Shelton in straight sets to set up a date with the 24-time Grand Slam champion.
Jannik Sinner lauds Novak Djokovic’s Competitiveness Ahead of SF
Jannik Sinner is the only opponent, except for Rafael Nadal, to have beaten Novak Djokovic five straight times. Entering the semifinal contest on Friday, the Italian is hoping to extend his winning streak against the Serb to six games.
But before the big game, Sinner acknowledged the tough competitor in Djokovic, highlighting the respect he holds for the 24-time Grand Slam champion.
“These are moments why you practice, you wake up in the morning and you look forward to play hopefully a good match,” Sinner said. “We are still lucky to have Novak here playing incredible tennis with his age. Hopefully it’s going to be a great battle.”
Many are already ruling out Djokovic from this contest, partly due to how he played in the quarterfinal against Lorenzo Mussetti, where he himself stated that he “was on my way home.” Moreover, over the last two years, Alcaraz and Sinner have continued to come out on top against Djokovic in the Grand Slam semifinals.
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