(VIDEO) The special call Djokovic received from Del Potro after epic Australian Open night
ATPFriday, 30 January 2026 at 21:08
Novak Djokovic experienced an emotional night on Friday in Melbourne after sealing a phenomenal victory over Jannik Sinner in the semifinals of the Australian Open. The 24-time Grand Slam champion survived more than four hours of battle and, across five sets, overcame the two-time defending champion.
The 38-year-old had an emotional reaction, even breaking down in tears on the bench after reaching another Grand Slam final, having defeated nothing less than the tournament favourite. After the emotions lived inside Rod Laver Arena — and in the middle of the post-match media interviews — the Serbian received a special call from one of his friends and former rivals.
It was the 2009 US Open champion Juan Martín del Potro, who from the early hours of the morning in South America had been closely following what was happening at the Australian Open. Del Potro joined Djokovic on a video call while Nole was still riding the emotions of the victory, showing their great friendship off the court — beyond the rivalry they shared throughout their careers.
The rivalry between the two left behind numbers and matches that defined an era. Djokovic and Del Potro faced each other 20 times at ATP level, with a 16-4 advantage for the Serbian, although many of those encounters were decided by the smallest of margins. Beyond the overall record, the Argentine claimed victories of enormous symbolic value, such as the semifinals of Indian Wells 2013 or the bronze-medal match at the 2012 Olympic Games.
A rivalry that turned into respect and friendship
Beyond the numbers, the relationship between the two grew over the years. The respect Djokovic publicly expressed after very tight matches translated into gestures that went beyond the court: the Serbian has spoken in interviews about the Argentine’s work ethic and resilience, especially in the face of the injuries that marked Del Potro’s career.
During a locker-room interview with ESPN Latin America, Djokovic was interrupted. A live call came through with former world No. 3 Del Potro, an absolute surprise for the Serbian when he was told that someone from Argentina wanted to greet him. “How are you, brother?” Djokovic replied in perfect Spanish.
“Great, Nole, great Nole, what happiness, my friend,” an emotional Del Potro told him — the same Del Potro who hours earlier had predicted that the Australian Open final would be “between his friends” Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic.
“Thank you, my friend, I saw your message on Twitter today. ‘Carlos and Novak’, you’re a magician,” said a smiling Nole. “But you didn’t tell me the prediction for the final.”
“I imagine this must be one of the most emotional victories of your career,” Delpo added.
“Exactly, with so much intensity, with all the energy I had to put in to beat Sinner. It was incredible, thank you my friend, I love you.”
The camaraderie between Nole and Del Potro was also reflected in an emotional way during Del Potro’s farewell exhibition in Buenos Aires, where Djokovic enthusiastically accepted the invitation. Despite an exhausting 2023 season, the Serbian decided to travel to South America in the middle of his very limited vacation time to accompany his former rival in his final match in front of his home crowd.
Djokovic keeps rewriting history at 38
Without a doubt, it was a day that will remain in Djokovic’s memory, as at 38 years old he continues to extend his records and surprise the world with his outstanding results.
Sinner arrived with 19 consecutive wins at the Australian Open and a total of 20 straight victories overall — a streak he had carried since late 2025. However, Nole took revenge on the Italian, who had beaten him in their previous five encounters, including three consecutive Grand Slam semifinals (Australian Open 2024, Roland Garros and Wimbledon 2025).
Djokovic will contest his 11th Australian Open final (with a perfect 10-0 record so far) and his 38th Grand Slam final overall. He will face Carlos Alcaraz this Sunday — the third time they meet in a major final, following the Spaniard’s victories at Wimbledon in 2023 and 2024.
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