Novak Djokovic just missed out on his 13th final at Roland Garros. Taking down World No.1 Jannik Sinner was never going to be easy. But the Serb certainly powered through and tried. This was their ninth match, with the head-to-head tied at 4-4! Sinner reached the semis without dropping a set. Djokovic wasn’t far behind, losing only one set to Zverev. This time, though, amid a few unforced errors and medical timeouts, Novak just couldn’t make it through. Rennae Stubbs might know why!

The match was a fierce battle, edging close to a five-setter. But Sinner overcame it to reach the final for the first time! The Italian took the first two sets 6-4, 7-5. The third set was a nail-biter. It went to yet another tiebreaker, a daunting task for both players. Novak made a costly error that caught Stubbs’ eye. She tweeted, “Novak is the GOAT no doubt but man his overhead has always been dodgy. That one was costly.” What was she talking about?

During the third set tiebreaker, Sinner had already taken a lead at 6-6 (0-1). His powerful forehands pushed Djokovic deep. Nole’s backhand went long, doubling Sinner’s lead. Then, after Sinner clipped the net tape, Novak Djokovic had a smash chance—literally. But his shot hit the net, letting Sinner extend his lead to three.

Commentators wondered if Djokovic was distracted by the overhead light or looking up at the night sky when he delivered that shot. But Novak didn’t let it stop him. With a forehand and an unforced error from Sinner, he won a few points, bringing the score to 3-6. However, he made another mistake—a backhand that landed in the net again.

In the end, Jannik Sinner left no room for error. He won the tiebreaker, the third set, and punched his ticket to his first-ever French Open final. Meanwhile, Nole will have to wait until the next Grand Slam to possibly clinch that 25th title!

However, his game was definitely something that kept the crowd on their feet! Even Sinner couldn’t resist giving his honest take on facing Nole.

Jannik opens up about Novak Djokovic as an opponent

This was a defining moment for Sinner, proving Jannik belongs among the elite. However, the 23-year-old remains humble about his rise! Making it to the finals is certainly a huge achievement, but he can’t help but acknowledge sharing the court with Novak.

“It was such a special occasion for me, playing against Novak in the semi-final of a Grand Slam,” Sinner said during his on-court interview. “It’s just amazing, and I had to step up and play the best tennis I could. I’m very happy how I handled the situation, but this shows again what a role model he is for all of us and especially for us young players.”

When asked how he feels about facing Novak, not as a legend but simply as a player, Jannik added, “What he is doing is incredible and I wish him only the best for the rest of the season. I think we are all very lucky to see him playing such high-level tennis, it’s amazing.”

Though the scoreline looked one-sided, Djokovic, the 38-year-old 24-time Grand Slam champ, delivered plenty of classic moments. But he faltered, missing three set points on return at 5-4 in the third set. Sinner’s steady, relentless play ultimately sealed the straight-sets victory.

Now, Novak Djokovic shifts gears toward the grass courts, where he boasts an outstanding record—7 Wimbledon titles and a career 125-21 win-loss, an 85.62% win rate. He’s known for peaking on grass, especially at Wimbledon, with impressive winning streaks. Will he rise to the occasion once more? Share your thoughts in the comments below!