The top-ranked Sinner, who is the defending champion at Melbourne Park, and No. 3 Alcaraz are coming off a 2024 season in which they each won two Grand Slam titles.

Alcaraz - on the other hand - has already packed his bags and left for Spain on Wednesday. His next tournament will be the Rotterdam ATP 500, which will take place from 3 to 9 February. Unlike previous years, the Spanish ace has opted for a different schedule by skipping the tournaments on red clay in South America.

Djokovic’s four-set victory over his young rival sets up a semifinal with second-seeded Alexander Zverev and keeps alive his hope of a record 25th Grand Slam title.