Novak Djokovic’s Bid for Record 25th Grand Slam Cut Short by Injury
Novak Djokovic’s quest to extend his record with a 25th grand slam was derailed on Friday morning in Melbourne, Australia. The Serbian tennis star withdrew from his Australian Open semifinal match against Alexander Zverev after tearing a muscle in his left leg. The injury forced him to concede the match after playing only one set.
As Djokovic walked off the court, he was met with a chorus of boos from the crowd. However, he stopped and gave a thumbs-up in response to the jeers. Zverev, who went on to win the match, expressed disappointment with the crowd, urging them to be respectful of Djokovic’s decision to withdraw due to injury.
“It’s hard to understand when you pay a lot of money to come and see a five-set match,” Zverev said. “But you gotta understand Novak Djokovic has given this sport everything for the past 20 years. If he can’t continue a tennis match, it really means he can’t continue a tennis match. So, please be respectful.”
Tennis legend John McEnroe echoed Zverev’s sentiments, saying that booing Djokovic was “absolutely ludicrous.” McEnroe praised Djokovic for his ability to overcome adversity, citing his past victories despite injuries.
Djokovic himself acknowledged that he suffered the injury during his quarterfinal match against Carlos Alcaraz and that the pain had worsened as the match went on. He had previously undergone surgery for a torn meniscus in his right knee and won a gold medal at the Paris Olympics.
With Djokovic’s withdrawal, Zverev advances to his first Australian Open final and his third career final. The German tennis star will face Jannick Sinner in Sunday’s final.