The development of Jannik Sinner from talented teenager to dominant World No 1 has been measured through his meetings with Novak Djokovic. His early defeats to the most successful men’s player of all time, for example, taught the Italian how far there was to go. His victory over Djokovic in the 2024 Australian Open semi-finals was the moment that opened the door to his first of three grand slam titles. Now, at the French Open, the 23-year-old looks on the cusp of more greatness after a steely, gutsy 6-4 7-5 7-6 (7-3) victory against his elder rival.
To put Sinner’s victory into some perspective, only Rafael Nadal had beaten Djokovic at Roland Garros since 2019. At the age of 38, Djokovic had played himself into title-contending form as he narrowed on his quest for a record-breaking 25th singles title. That remains on hold, frustrated again by the younger generation, who now have the stage for themselves.
In just his second tournament back from a three-month doping suspension, Sinner is through to his first French Open final and will play Carlos Alcaraz, the defending champion, on Sunday for his first grand slam title outside of the hard-court events. It will be the first grand slam final between Sinner and Alcaraz, and it’s unlikely to be the last. The 21-year-old Spaniard had earlier progressed to the final when the Italian eighth seed Lorenzo Musetti retired injured.
Over three hours, Sinner comprehensively displayed his outstanding levels across all areas of the game. The World No 1 effortlessly generated pace in the rallies, sending back whatever Djokovic could throw at him with relentless precision. He absorbed pressure on the defence, returned accurately, served imposingly, and covered the court incredibly well to leave no angles for Djokovic to hit.
Above all, Sinner remained composed in the biggest moments. It wasn’t until Djokovic looked to match Sinner from the baseline where the match started to become competitive and there were many points where the Italian – who is the first man from Italy to reach the Roland Garros final since Adriano Panatta in 1976 – could have buckled, particularly when Djokovic had three set points to force a fourth.
And still, Sinner has not dropped a set this fortnight. In the crucial juncture of the match, with the crowd on its feet and demanding more, Sinner forced the tiebreak where he underlined his dominance again. In the decider, Djokovic missed a series of forehands, and one simple overhead. Sinner may have felt like collapsing over the finish line.
Djokovic had looked helpless at times during the first set, desperately attempting to mix up the points by looping higher balls to the back of the court in an attempt to change the pace of the rallies and, to the growing frustration of his many supporters, throwing in drop shots to shorten the points.
Djokovic won just three points on the Sinner serve in the opening set. But the semi-final came alive as Djokovic was able to find some pressure on the returns and the second and third sets were played at a high level with very little to separate the players born 14 years apart.
Djokovic won a dizzying, scrambling net exchange to get to deuce for the first time in the second game, a point of the year contender, and roared while whipping his arms. Djokovic had the momentum but Sinner did not blink and held. In the sixth game, Sinner faced 0-30 but Djokovic made a series of awful returns and missed his chance.
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To compound its significance, Sinner broke ahead in the next game. To add insult to injury, Sinner brought up the break point with a brilliant drop shot winner that Djokovic could not reach. On the very next point, Sinner retrieved Djokovic’s chip, defended the short lob from Djokovic and then had daylight as the Serbian went wide. Sinner was displaying all the touch at the net that Djokovic was missing and served for the set at 5-4 in the second.
But then, for the first time in eight sets against the World No 1, Djokovic forced a look at a break-point chance. He had not generated a single opportunity against him in defeats in Melbourne and Shanghai, but was rewarded for his persistence when Sinner put a backhand long. With Sinner’s level of serve dropping and the Italian netting on the second break point, Djokovic had levelled at the first opportunity and pumped his fists.
It demanded an immense effort from Sinner to remain on course. He went back to targeting Djokovic on the return, forcing a sloppy service game from the 38-year-old while pulling his opponent left and right in the rallies. He broke ahead by finding the line with a forehand and then planting the winner beyond Djokovic. Closing it out was arduous. Still, Sinner found clutch serving, with an ace on the deuce point followed by a return that sailed long from Djokovic.
Down by two sets, Djokovic received extensive treatment on his left knee but returned to the court to force another break-point chance, using the drop shot well this time as Sinner began to look a little weary. The Italian responded with an unreturned serve that left Djokovic shooting a puzzled look at the lines.
After a series of holds, Djokovic and Sinner returned from the change-over with the Serbian leading 5-4. Sinner was forced to wait as the crowd rose to its feet, demanding the fourth set, and Djokovic even had to tell them to settle. To raise the noise even further, Sinner made consecutive errors to face 0-30 and then two set points when Djokovic turned defence into attack with a sliding backhand down the line
Sinner responded by saving both with a drive volley and unreturned serve down the middle, as well as a third when Djokovic missed on the forehand down the line. He then withstood a chorus of boos as Djokovic furiously contested a line call on deuce. It was the last resistance Djokovic had as he was made to pay for a series of errors and Sinner booked his place in Sunday’s final.
