Novak Djokovic vs Jannik Sinner Australian Open semifinal match interrupted after spectator faces medical emergency

It had happened in the 11th game of the third set when top-ranked Djokovic was serving at 5-5 and deuce.

The tense men's singles semifinal clash at the 2024 Australian Open between defending champion Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner, in front of a packed Rod Laver Arena on Friday, incurred an interruption during the third set, where the world No. 1 was hoping to survive a straight-set defeat, as a spectator faced a medical emergency. The No. 4 seed Italian was leading by two sets against Djokovic at the time of interruption before the Serb reduced the game by taking the third set after play resumed.

It had happened in the 11th game of the third set when top-ranked Djokovic was serving at 5-5 and deuce. The players initially waited for a while for the match to begin in quick time as the cause for interruption was unknown. However, when the Ambulance officers walked in to attend to the spectator, the court officials urged both Djokovic and Sinner to take the bench. The elderly spectator later found his feet and received a modest ovation from the crowd as he was assisted from the arena. The visuals also revealed that he had a small gash on his head, but he kept smiling.

The match resumed in quick time as Djokovic served an ace to take advantage before making it 6-5. Sinner held serve to force a tiebreak, but the Serb, as it has always been, reigned supreme in the decider to take the third set.

Earlier in the match, Djokovic, for the first time since 2013, lost a set 6-1 at the Australian Open, and fourth overall, after the youngster- broke his serve twice. The previous three occasions were against Marat Safin in 2005, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in 2010 and Stan Wawrinka 2013. The 24-time Grand Slam winner, however, won two of those matches.

Sinner gained a doubled break in the second set as well, to put Djokovic on the verge of a defeat in Melbourne for the first time in six years, the last being against Chung Hyeon in the fourth round in 2018, where he had lost in straight sets.