NOVAK Djokovic has advanced to his 12th Australian Open semi-final after defeating third seed Carlos Alcaraz in four sets on Tuesday night. A 10-time champion at Melbourne Park, Djokovic remains in the race for a record 25th Grand Slam, and 100th career title with just two rounds left to play.

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The Serbian faced great adversity throughout the early stages of the match, returning from an injury timeout in the first set with strapping to his upper left leg. He went on to drop the set 4-6 and looked severely hampered in the second, but adjusted as all champions do with hasty groundstrokes.

After employing serve-and-volleys and becoming increasingly aggressive on return, so as to shorten each point, Djokovic took the second set 6-4. He then began to look more like himself as Alcaraz struggled to hold on serve with any consistency.

In the end, Djokovic took over three-and-a-half hours to get the job done in four sets, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4. He weathered 50 winners from the Spaniard and managed 13 less unforced errors (27-40) in a clinical display to prove the old guard is not done with just yet.

The result means Alcaraz remains winless against Djokovic on the hard court surface, for an overall 3-5 head-to-head record. Speaking post-match, the 37-year-old victor said it was “one of the most epic” matches of his career, but didn’t want to give too much away regarding his injury.

“The medication started to kick in and [it] helped, no doubt,” Djokovic said. “I had to take another dose. If I lost that second set, I don’t know if I would continue playing but I felt better and better.”

A welcome reprieve for the combative former world number one is an extra day’s break before taking on Alexander Zverev in the semi-finals on Friday.

“I guess the key is recovery for me now,” Djokovic said. “That’s all I’m thinking about. The extra day with no match comes at the perfect time for me. Hopefully I can come out (in the semifinals) and feel my best.”

Zverev won through after defeating American Tommy Paul in four sets, 7-6, 7-6, 2-6, 6-1. The German was down 6-5 and 5-3 on Paul’s serve in the opening two sets, before taking them both in tiebreaks to set up the victory which took three hours and 28 minutes.

“I should’ve been down two sets to love,” Zverev said post-match. “I feel like I stole both of those sets in a way, because he was playing better than me, and he was serving for both of those sets.”

Chasing the “dream” of his first major title, the 27-year-old now has 30 wins at Melbourne Park and has reached his ninth Grand Slam semi. He proved far too sharp in the clutch moments, dishing up 20 less unforced errors and converting his break point chances at a 21 per cent better rate.

On the other side of the draw, world number one and defending champion Jannik Sinner takes on lone local hope Alex de Minaur, while 21st seed Ben Shelton meets debut Grand Slam quarter-finalist Lorenzo Sonego for a spot in the semis.

>> DAY NINE: Demon sets up quarter-final meeting with Sinner

AUSTRALIAN OPEN MEN’S QUARTER FINALS

A. Zverev [2] def. T. Paul [12] 7-6, 7-6, 2-6, 6-1
N. Djokovic [7] def. C. Alcaraz [3] 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4
J. Sinner [1] vs. A. de Minaur [8]
B. Shelton [21] vs. L. Sonego

SEMI-FINAL DRAW:

N. Djokovic [7] vs. A. Zverev [2]
J. Sinner [1] / A. de Minaur [8] vs. B. Shelton [21] / L. Sonego