No matter what, this year’s Australian Open will be a matchup between a potential first-time winner and a decorated champion. The first semifinal featured two players who have not won a title in Melbourne — Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev — while the second will be No. 4 Novak Djokovic vs. No. 2 Jannik Sinner.
A 10-time champion vs. the defending champion going for a three-peat.
Djokovic advanced into today’s semifinal rather unexpectedly, as he was outplayed by Lorenzo Musetti in the quarterfinals before Musetti was forced to retire from the match due to injury. If he advances, he’ll have the chance to win his record-breaking 25th Grand Slam.
Sinner won both the 2024 and 2025 Australian Opens. He defeated Ben Shelton in straight sets to advance into the semifinals.
australian open 2026: what to know
- Who: No. 4 Novak Djokovic vs. No. 2 Jannik Sinner
- When: Jan. 30, 3:30 a.m. ET
- Where: Melbourne Park (Melbourne, Australia)
- Channel: ESPN
- Streaming: DIRECTV (try it free)
Head to head, Sinner has beaten Djokovic in their last five meetings.
The winner of this match will go onto face the winner of the first semifinal, either Alcaraz or Zverev, in the Feb. 1 final.
What time is the Sinner vs. Djokovic semifinal match?
The Australian Open semifinal between Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic is scheduled to begin early on Jan. 30 at 3:30 a.m. ET.
How to watch the Australian Open for free
If you don’t have cable, you’ll need a live TV streaming service to stream the Australian Open for free.
DIRECTV is our top pick for watching sports live for free — its five-day free trial has ESPN, where tonight’s match is airing. With plenty of subscription options tailored to your streaming habits, sports fans will definitely want to consider the MySports Genre Pack, which includes access to all things ESPN, for $69.99/month.
If you aren’t ready to commit to a full-on subscription and have your eye on a specific match, you can try a Sling Orange Day Pass. Priced at $4.99, you’ll get 24 hours of access to all Sling TV Orange has to offer, including ESPN.
Australian Open 2026 men’s semifinals schedule
- Jan. 30, 3:30 a.m. ET: No. 2 Jannik Sinner vs. No. 4 Novak Djokovic
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This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Streaming Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping, Page Six, and Decider.com. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on every streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. When she’s not writing about (or watching) TV, movies, and sports, she’s also keeping up on the underrated perfume dupes at Bath & Body Works and testing headphones. Prior to joining Decider and The New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews.
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