Novak Djokovic stayed alive for a record 25th Grand Slam title following a comeback 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 win against Carlos Alcaraz in an action-laden Australian Open quarterfinal on Tuesday, MySportDab Reports.
The Serb, age 37, prevailed in an enthralling match whose victor was known well past midnight to the early morning of Wednesday. Despite an early setback and taking a medical timeout, Djokovic’s experience and precision eventually told in his favour as he overpowered his 21-year-old opponent.
The victory was Djokovic’s third over Alcaraz on hard courts and sets up a last-four encounter with Alexander Zverev, a record 50th Grand Slam semi-final appearance.
In the women’s draw, Paula Badosa pulled off a surprise win over world number three Coco Gauff, beating the 20-year-old American 7-5, 6-4. The 11th-seeded Badosa reached her first Grand Slam semifinal to become the first Spanish woman since Garbine Muguruza in 2020 to make the last four.
It was a fairytale win for Badosa, who was ranked outside the top 100 last year due to a back injury. Nineteen-year-old Gauff was unbeaten in nine matches this season but sprayed unforced errors as Badosa’s relentless aggression sealed the upset.
Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka also made her way into the semifinals, defeating Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-2, 2-6, 6-3. The Belarusian overcame tricky conditions and a game opponent to extend her winning streak at Melbourne Park to 19 matches. Sabalenka now faces close friend Badosa in the semifinals, with her bid for a historic third consecutive Australian Open title still alive.
The semi-finals promise high-stakes drama: Djokovic in his historic chase in the men’s draw, Sabalenka taking on Badosa in the women’s.
