Defending champion Jannik Sinner defeated American 21st seed Ben Shelton in straight sets, securing his spot in the Australian Open final where he will face Alexander Zverev.
Sinner won 7-6(7/2), 6-2, 6-2, although he struggled with cramps late in the third set. The match was also marked by Novak Djokovic’s shocking retirement after the first set of his semifinal against Zverev. Djokovic, after losing the opening-set tiebreak 7-5, revealed that a “muscle tear” was too painful for him to continue.
The 37-year-old, who has won the Australian Open a record 10 times, mentioned that there was “a chance” it could have been his last match in the tournament, but confirmed that his pursuit of a 25th Grand Slam title would continue.
Meanwhile, Alexander Zverev will compete in his first major final, following losses in the 2020 US Open and 2024 French Open finals. He will face Sinner on Sunday, aiming for his first Grand Slam title.
Despite struggling physically, particularly in the opening set, Sinner fought through two set points from Shelton and won the tiebreak. The cramps kicked in during the second set, but after receiving treatment and pickle juice for hydration, he managed to close out the match with four straight games, winning 14 of the last 16 points in 2 hours and 36 minutes.
Earlier, Olivia Gadecki and John Peers made history as the fourth all-Australian duo to win the Australian Open mixed doubles title.v
