With the quarter-final round of the Australian Open 2024 fully underway, Novak Djokovic moved to the semis, waiting to see who his opponent would be following the Sinner-Rublev tie. It seems the Serbian has been handed a massive boost, as Jannik Sinner, who troubled Djokovic at the end of 2023, may have an injury setback in his quarter-final tie with Andrey Rublev.

After taking the first set, Jannik Sinner looked visibly uncomfortable, with the Italian holding his stomach. From the looks of it, Jannik Sinner is in hot water with an abdominal injury on the cards. With the winner of the Sinner-Rublev tie taking on Djokovic in the semis, it seems the Serbian can breathe a sigh of relief.

Sinner’s stellar performances against Novak Djokovic in recent months have made him a real contender for Djokovic’s throne. Following victories against Djokovic at the ATP finals group stage and the Davis Cup semi-finals, Jannik Sinner’s injury scare might just be a cause for celebration for Djokovic fans.

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Jannik Sinner faces injury threat amidst his successful Australian Open run

Jannik Sinner started his quarter-final tie with Andrey Rublev on a high as the two exchanged pleasantries in the tunnel. With a positive start, Sinner looked firmly in control of the game, taking the first set after some fight from Rublev.

However, the second set told a different story, as Sinner’s injury woes turned the game around. Holding his stomach, Sinner struggled with the pace of the match on a few occasions but kept on fighting. The bigger concern for most fans is what it means for the semi-final. Sinner’s heroics against Novak Djokovic are very well known. In November alone, the Italian beat Djokovic on two separate occasions and cemented his spot in the world rankings.

With Djokovic looking vulnerable this tournament after dropping sets in early matches, the stage looked set for Sinner to steal the semi-final if he made it to the next round of the Australian Open. What fans hope now is damage control, to see Sinner regain composure and get through the quarter-final. If he does so, he gets some breathing room since the semis took place on Friday.

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