Novak Djokovic says one Australian Open semifinal loss is not "the beginning of the end"
The 10-time champion commended the 22-year-old Italian for playing "flawless" tennis—it was Sinner's third win over Djokovic in their last four matches—but rated his own performance as the worst he could remember at a major.
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — A solitary loss in 11 semifinals at the Australian Open was nowhere near enough for Novak Djokovic to contemplate a generational change in tennis.
Djokovic didn't get a look at a breakpoint during a 6-1, 6-2, 6-7 (6), 6-3 loss to Jannik Sinner on Friday that ended the 10-time Australian Open champion's unbeaten streak after making the final four at Melbourne Park.
He commended the 22-year-old Italian for playing "flawless" tennis—it was Sinner's third win over Djokovic in their last four matches—but rated his own performance as the worst he could remember at a major.
"This tournament hasn't been up to my standard or criteria or the level that I would normally play or expect myself to play," Djokovic said, "but doesn't necessarily mean that it's beginning of the end, you know, as some people like to call it.
"Let's see what happens in the rest of the season."