The days leading up to the Australian Open heard a lot of whispers. It was around Novak Djokovic, who is at the sunset of his career. Indeed, speculations around his retirement were everywhere, murmured around the mouths of not only fans but also experts in the sport. And just like every time, Djokovic has denied any claims, but following his Australian Open semifinal victory against Jannik Sinner (3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4), he had something more to say.

The First Serve on X reported that Djokovic reflected on his belief, saying, “I never stopped doubting. I never stopped believing in myself. There’s a lot of people that doubt me. I see there is a lot of experts all of a sudden that wanted to retire me or have retired me many times the last couple of years.” In this process, he didn’t just shut down any claims around his retirement but also made his goals quite clear.

“You know, I want to thank them all, because they gave me strength. They gave me motivation to prove them wrong, which I have tonight. For me, it’s not a surprise, to be honest. I know what I’m capable of,” the 38-year-old added. Well, the performance that the Serb showcased was a testament to his resilience.

It wasn’t an easy Australian Open semifinal for Djokovic. He was facing world no. 2 Sinner, who was also on his path to defend his title on the Aussie hard court. And the match? It was a complete back-and-forth between the two.

In the first set, the Italian took control of the game, but in the second set, the Rod Laver Arena saw Djokovic equalizing the match. Their battle continued until the fifth and final set, with complications emerging like the Serb throwing up on a towel and taking some tablets around the third set.  His statement was also a direct reply to those who always count him out of the competition.

Indeed, just a few days ago, during a press conference, a reporter stated how, once, Novak Djokovic chased Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer in his early career. Furthermore, they said that he is now chasing Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.

Well, it didn’t sit well with the Serb, who then said, “Well, I find it a little bit disrespectful that you kind of miss out on what happened in between where the times when I started chasing, as you say, Rafa and Roger, and now that I’m chasing Carlos and Jannik, and there’s probably about a 15-year period in between where I was dominating the Grand Slams.”

With calmness, he confirmed that he’s chasing no one but his own goals, and he will keep doing it until he is competing. “No. I’m going to fight until the last shot, the last point, and do my very best to challenge them,” he said. However, following his semifinal victory, the 38-year-old had a few words for Sinner.

Novak Djokovic’s special message to Jannik Sinner

Jannik Sinner’s win streak over Novak Djokovic in their head-to-head finally came to an end at the Australian Open. However, between the two, there was nothing but mutual respect.

Following the match, Djokovic said, “He won the last five matches against me. He had my mobile number, so I had to change my number for tonight. Jokes aside, I told him at the net, thanks for allowing me at least one in the last couple of years. I have tremendous respect for him. Incredible player.”

In their head-to-head, the Italian stayed undefeated since the 2023 Davis Cup Finals. So, this victory was long overdue for the Serb.

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Novak Djokovic also acknowledged Sinner’s talent, stating, “I mean, he pushes you to the very limit, which is what he did tonight to me. So he deserves a great round.” Now, the 38-year-old will be heading to the final, with one challenger left: Carlos Alcaraz.