Novak Djokovic has jokingly claimed that he deserves “10 per cent” of the ticket fees for his performance at the Australian Open semi-final. The 38-year-old booked his place in the final of the competition after beating the 2025 champion Jannik Sinner by three sets to two in an encounter that lasted just over four hours.

It was a tense clash that swung back and forth between the two competitors throughout. The Italian world number two took the first of those five sets during the night 6-3, before his opposite number struck back with a 6-3 in his favour.

The pair then traded blows again, with Sinner winning set three 6-4, before Djokovic took the fourth set by the same margin. In the end, the deciding set was taken 6-4 by Djokovic, who produced some of his very best tennis over a long match, as he set himself up nicely for the final on Sunday.

There, the Serbian will take on Carlos Alcaraz, who secured his place in the final earlier in the day with a gruelling win over Alexander Zverev in the deciding set. That match took over five hours, marking the longest semi-final in the history of the Australian Open, testing both athletes to their full capabilities.

Speaking on the court after his win, Djokovic was asked plenty about his triumph, and was in good form with a few of his quips back to the interviewer. Jim Courier started off by saying: “The love is still here for you and we love to still be getting a chance to see you play. It’s no guarantee that you would be back in a year and still here you come.

“Last year at the US Open, you sat in front of the press and you said: ‘I think these guys are just playing at a different level.’ These are your quotes, not mine. You said: ‘I think in best of five, it’s going to be very difficult for me.’ Can you admit that you were wrong last year in New York.”

Djokovic corrected the interviewer, and said: “I wasn’t. I wasn’t wrong. I said it would be very difficult but not impossible.” The crowd laughed and cheered, before the finalist added: “So here we are. Yeah, you’re right. You’re recalling it very well. I said that they were playing on a different level, so I just have to find that level.”

Then, when asked about whether he got to watch Alcaraz’s match before he played in his, Djokovic said: “Yes, I did watch. I was very eager to get out on the court. What an incredible match. I mean we tried to match that quality and that intensity but credit and kudos to both of these guys for battling it out.

“I think you guys got your value for the ticket today, that’s for sure. I want 10 per cent of tonight’s ticket sold. Craig [Tiley], 10 per cent, no negotiations,” he quipped after.

It was an incredible feat for Djokovic, who was beaming with pride after the win, where he will be looking to add yet another title to his name. On the match itself, he said: “It feels surreal. Playing almost four hours, coming close to 2am. I’m reminiscing about playing Rafa [Nadal] in 2012.

“The quality of tennis was extremely high and I knew this was the only way to win against him [Sinner]. He won the past five matches against me and I told him at the net thanks for allowing me this.

“He pushed me to the very limit. Tonight has been one of the – if not the best – support for me in Australia. I’m looking forward to seeing Carlos [Alcaraz] on Sunday, even though it feels as if I’ve won [the title] tonight. I hope I’ll have enough gas to stay toe-to-toe with him.”