Novak Djokovic reached his first Grand Slam final since 2023 in sensational fashion, by dispatching Jannik Sinner in the Australian Open semi-final.
The Serbian produced one of his best-ever performances to beat the world number two in an epic five-set battle.
The 38-year-old will now play Carlos Alcaraz in the Australian Open final as he looks to win his 25th Grand Slam in Melbourne.
Djokovic’s physio has offered a fitness update ahead of his much-anticipated clash with Alcaraz in the final, and now Marion Bartoli has explained how his pre-season training camp has aided him.
Marion Bartoli shares what Novak Djokovic worked on ahead of the Australian Open final
Speaking to L’Equipe, Bartoli expressed her amazement at Djokovic’s performance against Sinner in the semi-final.
The former world number one said: “Novak shows immense intelligence, knowing he had to close the gap on the level of Jannik and Carlos, and therefore work even harder.”
Bartoli spent time with Djokovic during his pre-season training camp in Dubai ahead of the 2026 season, and she shared what he was working on.
Should Djokovic retire whatever happens in the Australian Open final and go out in a blaze of glory?
“That’s exactly what he did in the pre-season in Dubai, hitting the court every day—where I was lucky enough to watch some of his training sessions—staying in the gym until late at night, putting in the effort to identify what he was missing.
“He managed to elevate his game to another level. I was convinced he could do it, even if the challenge was enormous. This performance is just like him, just like his career.”
The Frenchwoman believes those little adjustments have helped him reach the Australian Open final.
“It illustrates this constant ability—as very few players can manage—to adapt. He saved all those break points in the fifth set (eight in total). Down 0-40 after breaking serve, he fired a second serve at 189 km/h down the T, followed by an extremely tough lob to handle.
“It’s 1 a.m., you’ve been grinding for 4 hours, it’s a shot where he could falter, and he pulls off an exceptional smash. It’s pure Djokovic: an infinite capacity to reinvent himself, to find solutions, to tap every last mental, physical, and tennis resource.”
The Australian Open final will be Djokovic and Alcaraz’s 10th meeting since 2022, with the Serbian leading the head-to-head with five victories.
History is on Novak Djokovic’s side at the Australian Open
Djokovic has been dominant at the Australian Open over the years, winning 10 of his 24 major titles at the Melbourne event.
The star holds a 99–10 win-loss record at the Grand Slam, which equates to an astonishing 91% win-rate in Melbourne.
Novak Djokovic would be the undisputed GOAT if he won Grand Slam number 25 – could anyone argue otherwise?
That includes a 100% win-rate in Australian Open finals, with the Serbian never tasting defeat with the championship on the line.
Alcaraz, meanwhile, will be playing in his very first Grand Slam final in Melbourne, but he has an equally impressive record in major finals.
The Spaniard has lost just one Grand Slam final in his short career, against Sinner in the 2025 Wimbledon final.
With a Career Grand Slam on the line for Alcaraz, and a 25th major for Djokovic, this could arguably be called one of the biggest finals in the history of the sport.
