‘Worst Grand Slam match I’ve ever played’: What went wrong for Novak Djokovic at Australian Open

Novak Djokovic had high expectations for himself at the 2024 Australian Open.

The 36-year-old Serbian tennis star was gunning for his 11th Grand Slam singles title Down Under and to extend his 33-match winning streak there.

That all came crashing down Friday morning when Djokovic lost to Italy’s Jannik Sinner in the semifinals 6-1, 6-2, 6-7, 6-3. While the upset was not predictable, however, it was suspected

“This is one of the worst Grand Slam matches I’ve ever played,” Djokovic said after his loss.

However, this poor level has been consistent throughout the two weeks, besides his one-sided win over Frenchman Adrian Mannarino in the fourth round where he only dropped three games.

“To be honest, the whole tournament I haven’t really played close to my best. Match maybe against Mannarino was great, but most of the matches I was not playing up to par, so to say, the way I play here in Australia normally … I didn’t feel really myself on the court during this tournament.”

Djokovic, who contributed an uncharacteristic 54 unforced errors in the match, lost three sets en route to the semifinals. In comparison, he lost only one set in the entire 2023 Australian Open.

What does Novak Djokovic’s loss to Jannik Sinner mean?
It’s back to the drawing board for Djokovic.

It was clear that not only was Sinner moving much better than Djokovic around the court but he was also serving more precisely and overall had a better demeanor.

With this next-generation wave of elite athletes in 22-year-old Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz and Alex de Minaur, Djokovic has to get back on a consistent rhythm — especially if he wants to win more Grand Slams.

Djokovic can now set his sights on the French Open in May.