Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner have enjoyed superb Australian Open runs so far, with a final meeting on the cards in Melbourne.
Djokovic plays a 50th Grand Slam semi-final when he takes on Alexander Zverev, with defending champion Sinner meeting Ben Shelton.
Coco Gauff predicted Sinner to win the Australian Open earlier this month, with the Italian having won the tournament in 2024, along with the US Open.
ATP number one Sinner has overcome the likes of Holger Rune and Alex de Minaur thus far, with Djokovic defeating players such as Carlos Alcaraz and Jiri Lehecka.
Five set matches have been avoided by the Serbian and the Italian thus far, although both have had their physical struggles at the Australian Open.
Jim Courier says Jannik Sinner’s feet are ‘more active’ than Novak Djokovic’s
At 37 and 23, Djokovic and Sinner respectively are at very different stages of their careers, with former world number one Jim Courier now issuing a comparison on the duo given that age gap.
“A lot will depend on Novak’s health,” Courier told Eurosport. “What’s impressive about Novak is his ability to adjust his game on the fly.
READ MORE: Jannik Sinner equals 16-year Novak Djokovic record after reaching the Australian Open third round
“He became hyper-aggressive with his return game [against Alcaraz], something we hadn’t seen much from him before.
“Novak is known for being a consistent returner, hitting the ball flat down the middle, but last night he shifted to a much more aggressive return, similar to Andre Agassi’s style.
“He was able to do that effectively against Carlos Alcaraz, which was amazing to witness. Djokovic’s experience is a massive advantage.
“Watching both Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic on centre court, I noticed that Sinner’s feet are more active and quicker.
“It made me realise that Novak’s not as fast as he used to be. He still covers the court amazingly well, though, and his anticipation masks the fact that he’s lost some speed.”
Jim Courier backs ‘fully fit’ Novak Djokovic to beat Alexander Zverev in Australian Open semi-final
Sinner was visibly shaking in the Melbourne heat in his match against Rune, while Djokovic took a medical timeout against Alcaraz for his appararent leg injury.
The Serbian refused to provide further details on the nature of the problem, but did reveal it was similar to an issue he had in 2023.
His 2024 season was also disrupted by injury, although the veteran did manage to win an Olympic gold medal shortly after undergoing knee surgery.
According to Courier, Djokovic’s fitness will play a key role in the final outcome, having added: “We don’t know the impact of his injury.
“If he’s fully fit, he’s the favourite, but if he’s not, it’ll be more complicated. Zverev can play great defence and is a strong server, so there are a lot of unknowns.
“That’s what makes it exciting – there are some big names left in the tournament and plenty of intriguing storylines to follow.”
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