MELBOURNE, Australia — A wave of boos echoed through Rod Laver Arena as an injured Novak Djokovic made his way off the court, having retired just a set into his Australian Open semifinal clash with Alexander Zverev on Friday.
Struggling with what he described as a torn muscle, Djokovic lost the first set 7-6 (5) after hitting a forehand volley into the net. With disappointment written on his face, he shook his head, approached Zverev to concede the match, and began to gather his belongings. As he exited, he paused to respond to the crowd’s jeers with a cheerful thumbs-up.
In a post-match news conference, Djokovic revealed that the pain in his taped left leg was intensifying, a lingering issue from his quarterfinal victory over Carlos Alcaraz earlier in the week.
“I was aware,” Djokovic noted, “that even if I had clinched the first set, the challenge ahead would have been tremendous.”
Aiming for his 11th Australian Open title and a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam championship, Djokovic’s aspirations were cut short. Instead, No. 1 seed and defending champion Jannik Sinner will face off against No. 2 Alexander Zverev in the final on Sunday.
Sinner triumphed over No. 21 Ben Shelton of the U.S. with a score of 7-6 (2), 6-2, 6-2, despite battling cramping in the third set, as he prepares to vie for his third Grand Slam title.
For Zverev, this match marks his maiden final at Melbourne Park, having faced defeat in previous major finals.
“Anything can happen,” Sinner remarked, riding a 20-match unbeaten streak. “Zverev is an exceptional athlete.”
This incident marks the second time in the last four major tournaments that Djokovic has had to withdraw due to injury; last year, he withdrew from the French Open before the quarterfinals due to a torn meniscus in his right knee.
After undergoing surgery in Paris, Djokovic remarkably reached the Wimbledon final less than two months later and proudly secured a gold medal for Serbia at the Paris Olympics.
Meanwhile, Zverev, now 27, faced defeats in five-set finals at the 2020 U.S. Open and the 2024 French Open.
“My ambition remains to compete with the elite and win major tournaments,” Zverev stated. “To achieve that, I must improve my game and enhance my physical condition.”
In a heartfelt on-court interview, Zverev urged fans to show respect for Djokovic.
“I understand everyone wants an exhilarating match, but you must acknowledge that Novak Djokovic has dedicated two decades of his life to this sport,” he said.
The single set between Djokovic and Zverev lasted an intense 1 hour and 21 minutes, involving 19 lengthy rallies of nine strokes or more. The opening games alone consumed 31 minutes, largely due to the extended exchanges and Djokovic’s methodical pace, often pushing the 25-second serve clock to its limit.
Even without the leg concern, the match was physically demanding; the issue had initially surfaced during his previous encounter with Alcaraz.
“I hadn’t hit a ball since the Alcaraz match until about an hour before today’s match,” Djokovic shared.
“I did everything in my power to cope with the muscle tear. Medication and physio sessions helped somewhat, but the pain escalated towards the end of that first set. It became unbearable. It’s an unfortunate conclusion, but I gave it my all.”
Zverev observed that he could detect “some weaknesses” on Djokovic’s end during the tiebreaker, noting that Djokovic seemed to struggle “perhaps a bit more than usual.”
Two years ago, Djokovic overcame a hamstring injury at this very venue to lift the trophy. He had previously managed to overcome a set deficit against a much younger Alcaraz. However, this time, the odds were not in his favor.
After the match, Djokovic was left pondering many uncertainties.
Could this be his final performance at Melbourne Park?
“It’s a possibility. Who knows?” Djokovic contemplated. “I’ll have to assess how the season unfolds. I wish to continue competing.”
As for his coaching setup with former adversary Andy Murray, Djokovic admitted uncertainty.
However, one thing is clear: his resolve and ambitions remain steadfast.
“I’m not obsessing over injuries during every Grand Slam I participate in, but the statistics of the past few years aren’t in my favor,” Djokovic remarked. “Nonetheless, I will persist in my pursuit of more Grand Slam victories. As long as I have the desire to endure the challenges, I will continue to play.”