Just a few weeks ago, as April drew to a painful close, Novak Djokovic was struggling to find his footing. He was on a rare three-match losing streak, and with his 38th birthday fast approaching, even he admitted he had stepped into a “new reality.” Fast forward to now, and the Serbian has done what he does best: defy time. He’s back in familiar territory, reaching a record-breaking 51st Grand Slam semi-final. But the road to a potential 25th major won’t be easy. Standing in his way is Jannik Sinner, the man who succeeded him as ATP world No. 1. Let’s get into the details of this battle of generations.

Match Details

Date: June 6, 2025

Round: Semifinals

Venue: Philippe Chatrier, Roland Garros, Paris, France.

Time: 1:00 pm Eastern Time (ET)

Where to watch: USA – Tennis Channel | UK – Sky Sports | Canada – TSN

Jannik Sinner vs Novak Djokovic: Preview

For Novak Djokovic, 2025 has been anything but smooth sailing. He started the season with a semifinal retirement at the Australian Open against Alexander Zverev, and what followed was a string of underwhelming results on hard courts. He did make it to the Miami Open final, only to fall short against the rising Czech star Jakub Mensik. Things didn’t look much better once the tour moved to clay. Losses to Alejandro Tabilo in Monte Carlo and Matteo Arnaldi in Madrid raised fresh questions about whether Djokovic’s time at the top was finally running out. But just when the whispers started getting louder, he responded in trademark fashion by lifting the trophy in Geneva. In a gritty final, he outlasted Hubert Hurkacz 5-7, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (2) to claim his 100th career title.

At Roland Garros, the Serb has looked increasingly like his old self. He opened with a routine 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 win over Mackenzie McDonald and followed it up with another straight-sets victory against Corentin Moutet—saving a set point in the third to take it 6-3, 6-2, 7-6 (1). From there, he breezed past Austrian qualifier Filip Misolic 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 and then took down Cameron Norrie 6-2, 6-3, 6-2. But it was in the quarterfinals that Djokovic was truly tested. Facing the third seed and last year’s finalist, Alexander Zverev, he dropped the first set 4-6. Yet, as he’s done so many times in his career, the 24-time Grand Slam champion dug deep and turned the match around, winning the next three sets 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 to seal his spot in yet another semifinal.

On the other side of the net is a man with nearly flawless credentials this season. Jannik Sinner started by lifting the Australian Open trophy and then returned from a doping suspension to reach the final of the Italian Open, losing only to Carlos Alcaraz in Rome. That remains his only loss of the season. The Italian has looked ruthless in Paris. He began with a 6-4, 6-3, 7-5 win over Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech, then cruised past Richard Gasquet 6-3, 6-0, 6-4 in what was the veteran’s final professional match.  The next opponents? Jiri Lehecka dismantled 6-0, 6-1, 6-2, and then the 17th seed Andrey Rublev, beaten 6-1, 6-3, 6-4.

In the quarters, Sinner ran into the unpredictable Alexander Bublik. Although the second set got tight, the Italian kept his focus and sealed a 6-1, 7-5, 6-0 win to march into his second straight semifinal at Roland Garros.

Jannik Sinner vs Novak Djokovic: head-to-head

Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic have met 8 times, with the head-to-head tied 4-4.

• 2021 Monte Carlo 2nd Rd (clay): Djokovic won, 6-4, 6-2
• 2022 Wimbledon QFs (grass): Djokovic won, 5-7, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2
• 2023 Wimbledon SFs (grass): Djokovic won, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6
• 2023 ATP Finals Round Robin (indoor hard): Sinner won, 7-5, 6-7, 7-6
• 2023 ATP Finals F (indoor hard): Djokovic won, 6-3, 6-3
• 2023 Davis Cup Finals SFs (indoor hard): Sinner won, 6-2, 2-6, 7-5
• 2024 Australian Open SFs (hard): Sinner won, 6-1, 6-2, 6-7, 6-3
• 2024 Shanghai F (hard): Sinner won, 7-6, 6-3

Prediction: Jannik Sinner in 4

Jannik Sinner has now strung together 19 straight wins at Grand Slam level, a jaw-dropping streak that began at the 2024 US Open, rolled through Melbourne this January, and has now planted him firmly in the Roland Garros semifinals. All best-of-five matches. All wins. No sweat. And while that’s impressive on its own, the numbers get even scarier when you zoom in. He hasn’t dropped a set in Paris. Not one. In fact, calling his scorelines “routine” would be an understatement. Three of those sets were bagels. Three others ended 6-1. He’s not giving opponents any room to breathe, and it’s not just lower-ranked players feeling the heat. Sinner has now won 11 of his last 12 matches against Top 10 opponents, a streak that dates back to last October. The lone exception came in Rome, where Carlos Alcaraz defeated him in the final during his first tournament back from a doping suspension.

Against Novak Djokovic, the challenge is different but not unfamiliar. The Serb brings experience and resilience, and he’ll know better than anyone that Sinner represents a serious step up in intensity. While Djokovic was able to outlast Alexander Zverev in the quarterfinals, the pace and aggression Sinner brings will test his defensive range and ability to counterpunch under pressure. That said, Djokovic has found ways to respond to these kinds of threats before. In 2023, when he faced Alcaraz in the French Open semifinals, he managed to disrupt the Spaniard’s rhythm with a mix of consistency, precise serving, and smart court positioning. In his win over Zverev, Djokovic not only served well, winning 71% of first-serve points and getting broken just once, but also came forward effectively, winning 27 of 37 points at the net. He hit more aces and winners than the German and came through key moments with clarity, including saving a break point in a grueling 34-shot rally.

While their head-to-head stands evenly at 4-4, recent history tilts toward the Italian. The 23-year-old has taken four of the last five meetings since the fall of 2023, and with the kind of form he’s bringing to this semifinal, you’d be brave to bet against him. While this will be Sinner’s toughest match of the tournament, the way he’s playing suggests he’s ready for it. A four-set win for Jannik Sinner looks the most likely outcome.