But it was 8.14pm by the time world No. 1 Alcaraz booked his spot in a maiden Australian Open final, winning the last four games to beat Zverev 6-4 7-6 6-7 6-7 7-5. Cameras showed thousands of fans with night session tickets waiting to get inside Rod Laver Arena, while Sinner was also caught on camera milling around in the hallways before his semi-final match.
Djokovic and Sinner finally took to the court around 90 minutes later than expected – but the Serbian superstar still had time to congratulate Alcaraz on a monumental victory. The 38-year-old was spotted approaching Alcaraz in the player gym while the Spaniard cooled down on a bike, with his team around him.
The world No. 4 approached the Alcaraz camp and immediately shook hands with his young rival, before going around the rest of the team for more handshakes. Djokovic patted Alcaraz on the back again as he walked off to continue preparing for his own match.
The 24-time Major winner will be hoping to meet Alcaraz again on Sunday, this time on the court. Djokovic reached the semi-finals of all four Grand Slam tournaments last year, but didn’t go any further – and wants to return to a final.
He retired after losing the first set of his semi-final to Zverev in Melbourne 12 months ago. Sinner then beat Djokovic at the French Open and Wimbledon, while Alcaraz sent him out of the US Open.
The world No. 1 is already through to the championship match after surviving a massive scare against Zverev. Alcaraz started cramping at 4-4 in the third set, and the German forced a decider, going up an early break in the fifth set.
But the Spanish star rallied to win the last four games, breaking when Zverev attempted to serve for a spot in the final. Asked how he got the job done, Alcaraz told the crowd: “Believing, believing all the time. I always say that you have to believe in yourself, no matter what, no matter your struggles or what you have been through.
“No matter anything, you have got to still believe in yourself all the time. I was struggling in the middle of the third set. Physically, it was one of the most demanding matches that I have ever played in my short career.
“But I have been in this kind of situation and matches before, so I knew what I had to do. I had to put my heart into the match. I think I did it, I fought until the last ball, and I knew that I was going to have my chances. I was passionate in the fifth set but I am, you know, extremely proud in myself the way that I fought and came back in the fifth set.”
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