Two-time defending champion extends Melbourne Park winning streak to 19 after brushing aside big server
Jannik Sinner just crushed Ben Shelton 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 in straight sets, and now he’s heading to his third semifinal matchup with Novak Djokovic in the past four majors. The two-time defending Australian Open champion extended his winning streak at Melbourne Park to 19 a run only Djokovic himself has topped at this tournament. This is Sinner’s show now. Shelton was never really in this match. The American’s massive serve, which can hit 150 mph, met its match against arguably the greatest returner in tennis today. Sinner systematically dismantled him.
The contrast from Sinner’s third-round drama couldn’t be starker. He was struggling with cramps, staggering around the court, barely holding on until the roof closed and he got reinvigorated. That feels like ancient history now. Since that match against Luciano Darderi, Sinner has been operating at a different level entirely. He’s not just winning. He’s dominating.
Against Shelton, Sinner hit 18 winners and made only four unforced errors in the first set alone. That’s not a match. That’s a tennis clinic. Shelton sent down a 144 mph serve the fastest of the entire tournament in his opening service game. It didn’t matter. He was breaking him, returning with precision, and establishing control from the jump. By the fourth game, Sinner pulled off a shot straight out of rival Carlos Alcaraz’s playbook: a winner that slid around the net post. It was the kind of creative, confident tennis that defines a player in complete command.
This his third consecutive matchup with Djokovic at a major in the past four tournaments. And here’s the crazy part: Sinner has a 6-4 career head-to-head lead. More importantly, he’s won the past five meetings against the Serbian legend. Five straight. That includes victories at the 2024 Australian Open, Roland Garros, and Wimbledon last year. Djokovic hasn’t won a set against Sinner in two years.
When youth beats experience in the clearest way possible
This semifinal is essentially a passing of the torch moment. Djokovic is still playing incredible tennis at his age he just beat Lorenzo Musetti after Musetti had to retire while up two sets to love. But Sinner represents the new generation, the player who’s figured out how to beat the greatest tennis player of the modern era not just occasionally, but consistently.
Sinner’s five-match winning streak against Djokovic isn’t a fluke. It’s a pattern. It’s a statement about the evolution of his game and his understanding of what it takes to compete at the absolute highest level. When you beat someone five straight times, it’s not luck. It’s superiority.
The 24-year-old is still finding ways to improve his game. He’s adding variety, mixing in drop shots and net play, making himself less predictable. Against Shelton, he wasn’t just relying on his return of serve and baseline excellence. He was mixing in creativity. That’s a dangerous version of Sinner because he already had all the tools. Now he’s getting smarter about when to deploy them.
The 19-match winning streak is historically significant
Sinner’s 19-match winning streak at Melbourne Park puts him in rare air. Only Djokovic has done better at this tournament. That speaks to both his dominance here specifically and the broader trajectory of his career. This is his place now. He’s the favorite here. He’s the defending champion who everyone else is chasing.
The other semifinal sets up a potential Alcaraz-Sinner final
On the other side, top seed Carlos Alcaraz takes on third-seeded Alexander Zverev. The top four seeds have all reached the final four, which is noteworthy but also somewhat expected given the depth of the draw. If Sinner beats Djokovic and Alcaraz gets past Zverev, we get a fourth consecutive Grand Slam final between the two titans of modern tennis. That’s the trajectory tennis is on right now: Sinner and Alcaraz dominating the majors.
For now, though, he has bigger things to focus on. Djokovic is waiting. Five straight wins. A 6-4 career record. And a 19-match winning streak at Melbourne Park. All the momentum is with Sinner.
