Australian Open 2025: Ageless Novak Djokovic dumps out Carlos Alcaraz for special 50

Australian Open 2025: 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic defeated third seed Carlos Alcaraz 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 in the men's singles quarter-final to reach his 50th Grand Slam semi-final on Tuesday.

In Short

• Novak Djokovic defeated Carlos Alcaraz 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4
• Djokovic reached his 50th Grand Slam semi-final
• Djokovic will face second-seeded Alexander Zverev next

Novak Djokovic just keeps getting better with age. The 24-time Grand Slam champion kept his dream of an 11th Australian Open title alive with a stunning come-from-behind win over third seed Carlos Alcaraz in the men's singles quarterfinal on Tuesday, January 21.

With a 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 victory over Alcaraz, Djokovic not just reached the 50th Grand Slam semifinal of his career but also took a huge step towards proving he is still capable of fighting for Grand Slam titles. The Serb silenced his naysayers after failing to win a single major last year, a season dominated by Jannik Sinner and Alcaraz.

Djokovic began the season's first Grand Slam as the seventh seed and drew Alcaraz as early as the quarterfinal. He needed to make a statement at the start of the year, and the 24-time Grand Slam champion did so in style, coming back from behind after losing the first set in the quarter-final that lasted 3 hours and 37 minutes at the Rod Laver Arena.

Djokovic, who added Andy Murray to his coaching team at the start of the season, matched Alcaraz in terms of court coverage and power, outlasting the 21-year-old with incredible self-belief. The long rally at the end of the third set, where Djokovic flaunted his near-impenetrable defence, swung the momentum in his favour as he went 2-1 up.

Djokovic had last beaten the Spaniard in a Grand Slam match during the semi-final of Roland Garros. However, he lost the Wimbledon final to Alcaraz in 2023 and suffered a one-sided defeat in another final in London last year before defeating him in the Paris Olympics final.

Alcaraz has a lot to reflect on after enduring a tough few months on the tour. The four-time Grand Slam champion bowed out of the US Open in the second round and failed to reach the knockout stages of the ATP Finals at the end of an incredibly tiring season last year.

Australian Open, Djokovic vs Alcaraz: Highlights

Alcaraz used drop shots to outflank Djokovic in the first set in challenging windy conditions. The seventh seed then took a medical timeout for an issue with his left leg at 4-5. Alcaraz registered 13 winners in compared to Djokovic's three to dominate and then take the opening set 6-4.

However, Djokovic came back strongly in the second set, increasing his baseline aggression to counter his physical limitations. Djokovic levelled the match by shortening rallies and hitting his 11th winner of the set. In the third set, Djokovic continued to back his attacking mindset to dictate most of the rallies and also exploiting Alcaraz's errors on serve.

Alcaraz was trailing 3-5, and it looked like he would earn the breakback, but Djokovic held his nerves to deliver clutch performances during high-pressure moments. Alcaraz, battling fiercely, won a grueling 33-shot rally to save a break point at 4-2 in the fourth set. However, Djokovic used his experience to win the third set in a row and march into the last four of the first Grand Slam of the year.

Djokovic is now just two wins away from clinching a record-extending 11th Australian Open title and his 25th major. Djokovic had dropped sets in his opening two matches, but he impressed in subsequent rounds, defeating Tomas Machac and Jiri Lehecka in straight sets.

The former world No. 1 struggled to find his best form in 2024's majors but has now secured his first win against a Top 10 opponent at a Slam since overcoming Daniil Medvedev at the 2023 US Open to claim his 24th major title.

Djokovic would now face second-seeded German Alexander Zverev next. Zverev knocked out American Tommy Paul earlier on Tuesday to book his spot in the semifinals.