Novak Djokovic was made to wait for his Australian Open semifinal, with the preceding match between Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev having gone the distance.
Alcaraz and Zverev played for five hours and 27 minutes in the first men’s semifinal at the Australian Open, hosted by Rod Laver Arena.
The same venue then welcomed 10-time champion Djokovic for his blockbuster clash against two-time defending champion Jannik Sinner.
That match was always going to find it difficult to live up to its predecessor, with Alcaraz and Zverev playing out the longest-ever Australian Open semifinal.
Has Alexander Zverev just blown his last chance to win a Grand Slam?
Novak Djokovic embraces Carlos Alcaraz moments before Australian Open semifinal
Alcaraz won 6-4, 7-6(7-5), 6-7(3-7), 6-7(4-7), 7-5, after which he took to the bike in the player gym to cool down.
But his efforts were briefly interrupted by Djokovic, who approached the Spaniard and his team just minutes before his own semifinal.
As Alcaraz continued his cycle, the Serbian not only shook his hand and embraced his rival, but also did the same for the entire team of the ATP number one.
It was a moment of pure class from Djokovic, who could have been forgiven for focusing on himself at such a crucial stage of proceedings.
But it highlights just how much of a true sportsman the veteran is, setting a fantastic example for youngsters such as Alcaraz, and indeed aspiring tennis players.
Where does that performance rank out of Novak Djokovic’s best of all time?
Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner complete epic Australian Open semifinals day
Despite the difficulty of following an all-time classic, the meeting between Djokovic and Sinner also more than delivered.
At four hours and nine minutes, it may not have been as long as the match before, but it also went to five sets, and will undoubtedly go down as an absolute epic as well.
Of course, there could only be one winner, and this time it was the Serbian who came out on top at Melbourne Park.
Djokovic beat Sinner 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 to complete one of the most impressive and entertaining days of tennis that the Australian Open has ever seen.
The 38-year-old, of course, deserves a special mention for his efforts, having just produced one of his greatest displays of all time.
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