Australian Open 2022: Stefanos Tsitsipas is youngest player to reach five Grand Slam semifinals since Novak Djokovic

Stefanos Tsitsipas became the youngest player since Novak Djokovic in 2008 to reach five Grand Slam semifinals after defeating Jannik Sinner in the last eight at the 2022 Australian Open.

Tsistipas, who is 23 years and 158 days old, dismantled Sinner 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 on Wednesday to move into his second consecutive Australian Open semifinal, and fifth overall.

Djokovic, meanwhile, reached his fifth Slam semifinal at Roland Garros in 2008 when he was 21 years and four days old. The Serb had made the last four at Wimbledon and Roland Garros in 2007, and the final at the US Open later that year. He then won the Australian Open in 2008 ahead of Roland Garros.

Tsitsipas, in comparison, made the semifinals of the Australian Open in 2019 and 2021, and the French Open in 2020 and 2021.

The youngest player to reach five Grand Slam semifinals in the Open Era was Bjorn Borg, who featured in his fifth Major semifinal at the US Open in 1976 when he was 20 years and 86 days old.

Stefanos Tsitsipas will face Daniil Medvedev in the semifinals of the 2022 Australian Open

Daniil Medvedev with Stefanos Tsitsipas at the Australian Open 2021

Stefanos Tsitsipas will lock horns with World No. 2 Daniil Medvedev in the semifinals of the Australian Open on Friday. The Russian player defeated Felix Auger-Aliassime in the quarterfinals in a five-set epic that lasted four hours and 42 minutes.

Medvedev knocked Tsitsipas out of the Australian Open last year, beating the Greek in straight sets in the semifinals. The Russian went on to lose the title clash to Novak Djokovic.

Medvedev currently leads the head-to-head 6-2 against Tsitsipas. The Greek has defeated the Russian once in their six hardcourt meetings, at the ATP Finals in 2019.

While Tsitsipas is eyeing his maiden Grand Slam title, Medvedev is looking for his second, having won the US Open last year. If the Russian triumphs in Melbourne, he will take possession of the No. 1 ranking from Novak Djokovic.