By Richard Pagliaro | @TennisNow | Friday, January 24, 2025
Photo credit: Shi Tang/Getty
Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev share a rare gold standard.
Grand Slam king Djokovic says he’ll be rooting for Zverev to raise Grand Slam silverware for the first time when the world No. 2 faces world No. 1 Jannik Sinner in the Australian Open final on Sunday.
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After dropping a grueling 81-minute first set to Zverev, 7-6(5), Djokovic retired from their AO semifinal due to a muscle tear.
In his post-match presser, Olympic gold medal champion Djokovic said he will be cheering for 2020 gold-medal winner Zverev to dethrone defending-champion Sinner and capture his maiden major.
“I wish Sascha all the best,” Djokovic told the media in Melbourne. “You know, he deserves his first Slam. I’ll be cheering for him.
“Hopefully he can get it here.irst slam. I’ll be cheering for him. Hopefully he can get it here.”
Twice, Zverev has put himself in position to win Grand Slam titles.
In the Roland Garros final last June, Zverev was one set from the title before Carlos Alcaraz fought off the German 6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 in a four hour, 19-minute marathon to capture his first Roland Garros championship with a fervent finish. Zverev carried a 10-1 record in Roland Garros five-setters into the final set of the 2024 final but could not close.
Zverev endured the stinging pain of coming achingly close to a maiden major only to lose a lead again. At the 2020 US Open, Zverev held two sets to love lead over Dominic Thiem before tightening up and bowing in five sets.
The good news for Zverev is he owns a 4-2 edge over Sinner in their head-to-head series, including winning two of their three major meetings.
If Zverev needs more emotional fuel ahead of the final, consider Sinner seemed to be battling leg cramps in the final set of his semifinal win over Ben Shelton and was ill last week.
Now, Zverev will take the court carrying the endorsement of 10-time AO champion Djokovic—and he’s grateful for the support.
“That means a lot to me, especially from Novak, I think, who I admire and respect so much,” Zverev said. “Yeah, as I said, I’m looking forward to Sunday. I do feel like I have done the work, and I do feel like I’m ready for it. So we’ll see how it goes.
“I’m very thankful to Novak for wishing me that. Yeah, let’s see what’s going to happen on the weekend.”
