Give Andy the Erling Haaland nine-and-a-half-year deal, Novak. While you’re at it give him the freedom of Belgrade and the Order of the Republic of Serbia, too.
Under the eye of his new coach, Djokovic earned one of the most titanic and unlikely victories of his career, beating Carlos Alcaraz despite sustaining what appeared to be a groin injury in the first set. He won 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 and will face No2 seed Alexander Zverev on Friday for a place in his 11th Australian Open final.
Murray has seen this movie more often than most – Djokovic going from hobbling wreck to superhuman. It must have made a nice change to be cheering him on from the sidelines, rather than looking on with bemusement and confusion from the other end of the court.
That role was filled by Alcaraz, who had looked lethal until Djokovic tweaked his groin and, at times, impotent thereafter. This was a horrible defeat for a 21-year-old who is chasing his career Grand Slam here in Melbourne – but what a win for Djokovic.
After being destroyed in the Wimbledon final by Alcaraz he has beaten him twice in a row: in the Olympic final in Paris and here in Melbourne.
The 37-year-old Serb plays injured better than anyone else. The way he manages his body, husbands meagre resources and shifts his gamestyle is extraordinary. If, in some dystopian future, injuries were ritually inflicted on every player before every event then Djokovic would have won 50 Grand Slams instead of 24.
Novak Djokovic rolled back the years in a stunning quarter-final win over world number three Carlos Alcaraz

Djokovic’s new coach – and former rival – Andy Murray watched on at the Rod Laver Arena

The Serbian prevailed in four sets after appearing to injure his groin in the first on Tuesday night
It feels almost redundant to talk tactics after a win which was all about nerve and will, but the decisive factor was how Djokovic targeted the Alcaraz forehand on his second serve. Not exactly a new approach but if Murray played a part in reinforcing that then he has earned his corn already.
Djokovic did not start well. He was awfully passive in the first eight games of the match, managing only three winners and generally failing to lay a glove on his opponent in the baseline exchanges. Everything was on the Alcaraz racket: he could do pretty much as he liked and it felt as though Djokovic was just hoping for him to miss; he had no agency in the match at all.
But then something snapped in Djokovic’s groin and, as if in answer, something clicked in his brain. Without the ability to go deep into rallies – his movement really was hampered, this was no act – Djokovic was compelled by circumstance to adopt a more attacking style, and thereby gain that agency he had been lacking in the first set.
He serve-volleyed twice to hold to love and then blasted two clean return winners to break for 2-0. With that, he regained control of the tempo and soul of the match and he relinquished neither.
It was a little reminiscent of his fourth-round match against Francisco Cerundolo at Roland Garros last year, when Djokovic won despite tearing meniscus in his knee.
In that match, Djokovic knew he had to keep himself in the match for long enough for painkillers to kick in. Even though Alcaraz hit back in the second set, that early break for Djokovic bought him precious time. Whether it was medication taking effect or the groin loosening up, Djokovic’s movement gradually improved as the match went on.
In that match against Cerundolo, the Argentine was an accomplice in his own downfall and there was certainly an element of that with Alcaraz here.
As if on either ends of a seesaw, his aggression lessened as Djokovic’s increased.

The record Grand Slam winner[r received treatment on his left groin during the thrilling match

Alcaraz looked in complete control but relinquished his command and was unable to reassert his dominance
Djokovic came out blasting again in the third set. Suddenly his arms looked more free and loose. He was lashing the ball at Alcaraz and forcing him into a completely different match.
In the first set it felt like Djokovic was thinking his way through points while Alcaraz was playing on instinct; post-injury that was reversed, with the older man hitting out and the youngster trying to calculate how best to exploit his opponent’s physical condition.
He was using his drop shot more, trying to really test Djokovic movement, to get that groin stretching.
But to properly use either of those tactics Alcaraz needed to be on top in the rally – and Djokovic was serving with such accuracy and returning with such venom that it was rarely possible.
Alcaraz was issued with a time violation at the start of the third set and there was a sense that he was losing control of this match.
Then again at 2-3, deuce he served a double fault and Djokovic felt stable enough to go deep in a rally, eventually extracting an Alcaraz error.
Djokovic served out the set, sealing it with an extraordinary rally that saw him track down a lob and then rifle a passing shot: his movement was far better now and he could play far more normally, without the necessity for undue risk.
He was regularly whipping up the crowd and it was striking how the charismatic Alcaraz had so distinctly failed to do the same. He needed a lift badly and the crowd could have given it to him.

Djokovic looked back to his best on Tuesday night as he moved into the final four in Melbourne

The 37-year-old will play No2 seed Alexander Zverev in the semi-final on Friday in Melbourne
The No3 seed was broken in the first game of the fourth set and it was his turn to feel the pain, clutching his right glute on the changeover. That seemed to free him up – what an odd match this was – and the next few games produced the best tennis of the match, with both men flying at each other like jousting knights at full gallop.
At 4-2, advantage Djokovic – effectively match point – came the finest rally of the match, both men blasting full-blooded groundstrokes back and forth. Alcaraz won that one to stay alive, then held and cupped an ear to the crowd.
He was playing well now, better than he had at any stage of the match. The crowd were with him now, too, or at least a portion of them. He earned two break points in the next game but Djokovic saved both and sealed a massive hold.
Serving for the set Djokovic peppered that Alcaraz forehand again and in the moment of victory he roared in Murray’s direction.
What a match and what a champion. The Serbo-Scottish alliance rolls on in Melbourne. Provided Djokovic can recover sufficiently from the flesh wound sustained here, then they will take some stopping.