𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Alcaraz’s experience of the Olympic final at Roland Garros, where Djokovic raised his level to win that elusive gold medal last summer in a hugely emotional defeat for the young Spaniard, ensured he needed no reminder of how fearsome an opponent the 37-year-old remains when fully fit.

But as Djokovic struggled to move from side to side, let alone return his groundstrokes on the run or hit through his opponent from the back of the court, Alcaraz’s shoulders relaxed.

Djokovic, head down, exited the Rod Laver Arena for a medical timeout, returning after several minutes with heavy strapping around his upper left leg.

A few moments later, Alcaraz wrapped up the first set; having beaten Djokovic in consecutive Wimbledon finals over best-of-five, it looked a long way back for the 10-time Australian Open champion.

“Since I am still in the tournament, I don’t want to reveal too much. The medication started to kick in.

“They helped, no doubt. I had to take another dose. If I’d lost that second set, I don’t know if I’d have continued playing.

“I felt better and better and managed to play a great couple of games at the end of the second set.

“Then I saw that Carlos was hesitant a little bit at the back of the court and I took my chances, started to feel better and move better.

“It didn’t bother me or create any hindrance towards the end of the match. When the medication starts to release, I’ll see what the reality is tomorrow morning.

“Right now I am just trying to be in the moment and enjoy this victory.”

Sonego backs up his third set victory with a fine, though testing, hold of serve in the first game of the fourth set.

In response Shelton, who seems ever-so-slightly rattled, flies through his first service game with a hold to love.

His composure may be back and if so Sonego has his work cut out.

How did Novak Djokovic find his best level at the grand slams, in over a year, after taking a medical timeout and struggling with injury in the first set?

Following his victory over Carlos Alcaraz he said: “With my two legs and two arms, I guess. Or one and a half legs.

“First, I want to say my utmost respect and admiration for Carlos and everything he stands for and has achieved so far in his career.

“What a terrific guy he is and an even better competitor, the youngest No 1 in the world in history, four grand slams.

“I’m sure we are going to see a lot of him. He’s going to be there for sure longer than me. I just wish that this match today was the final, honestly.

“I don’t know if Sacha Zverev is still awake and watching this. One of the most epic matches that I’ve played on any court.”

Djokovic will face Alexander Zverev after the German reached his third Australian Open semi-final with a four-set win over American Tommy Paul, but only after a farcical row with the umpire over a feather dropping onto the court.

The second seed, who is bidding for a first grand slam title, had lost both his previous two meetings against Paul but proved the stronger in the big moments to win 7-6 (1) 7-6 (0) 2-6 6-1.

But when a break down in the second set, trailing 4-2, Paul sent a serve down at deuce, but just as the rally developed a feather dropped onto the court before the German could strike a sliced backhand.

Umpire Forcadell called let and ordered the players to replay the point, sparking an angry response from Zverev.

Lorenzo Sonego is fighting for his life against the United States’ Ben Shelton.

Sonego is two sets down in their quarter-final but had the chance to win the third set and pushed a forehand too long.

Shelton is defending his own serve, and goes through three deuces leaving Sonego a second set point.

The Italian focuses on consistency and keeping the ball in play. Shelton tries to force the issue and punts a forehand too long!

Sonego takes the third set! This match is back on.

Alexander Zverev is through to the Australian Open finals for the second year in a row after riding his luck to beat American Tommy Paul.

Paul served for the first and second sets but Zverev broke back and then played excellent tiebreaks, eventually winning 7-6 (1) 7-6 (0) 2-6 6-1.

“I should have been down two sets to love,” Zverev said. “He played better than me, I was not playing great and I thought he was.

“I won the first set somehow, won the second set somehow. The fourth set was definitely the best I’ve played and I’m obviously extremely happy to be back in the semi-finals.”

Zverev will play Novak Djokovic in the last four.

In the UK, the Australian Open will be broadcast live on Eurosport. Subscribers can also stream the action online on the Eurosport website or with the discovery+ app.

The tournament takes place every day from midnight UK time each day on the outside courts and 1am on the show courts, while night sessions will start at 8am.

The match has been scheduled last on Rod Laver Arena, and will follow the men’s quarter-final between Ben Shelton and Lorenzo Sonego.

The pair are due on court from 8.30am though that could be pushed back depending on the result of the earlier quarter-final.

Jannik Sinner aims to take one step closer to the Australian Open title when he faces Alex De Minaur in a blockbuster Australian Open quarter-final clash in Melbourne.

Sinner is the No.1 seed for the tournament and has impressed with his simplistic and heavy-hitting style so far but will face a hostile crowd as he takes on the Australian.

25-year-old De Minaur has only dropped one set during his run to the last eight and will be confident of securing an upset this morning.

The two are due on court following the conclusion of Ben Shelton’s match against Lorenzo Sonego with their quarter-final scheduled to start at 8.30am GMT.

Follow for all the build-up ahead of a blockbuster Australian Open quarter-final