In a surprising turn of events, Novak Djokovic left fans in shock during his semi-final match at the Australian Open 2025. After losing the first set 6-7 against Alexander Zverev, Djokovic had to retire due to a ‘muscle tear’ in his left leg.
The crowd at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena gasped as Djokovic walked off the court. Many fans started to boo him, but Zverev quickly stepped in to calm the crowd, saying they shouldn’t boo a tennis legend like Djokovic.
Djokovic, who had a tough quarter-final match against Carlos Alcaraz, faced accusations of pretending to be hurt so he could surprise his opponent. But in a post-match conference, he confirmed he really did have a muscle tear that made playing too painful.
“I tried everything I could to manage the pain,” Djokovic said. “But it just got too hard to handle.”
At 37 years old, Djokovic is the only one left from the famous Big Three of tennis after Rafael Nadal’s retirement last year. Andy Murray, another rival, also retired after the 2024 Paris Olympics, but he is now part of Djokovic’s coaching team.
When asked if this could be his last time playing at the Australian Open, Djokovic was unclear. “There’s a chance, but I’ll have to see how the season goes,” he said. “I love coming to Australia; I’ve had my biggest wins here. I am healthy and motivated, so I hope to return.”
Alexander Zverev, who is currently number two in the world and has been a runner-up in two Grand Slam tournaments, will play the winner of the other semi-final match between Jannik Sinner and Ben Shelton.
Leave a Reply