Novak Djokovic withdraws from Australian Open semifinal
Novak Djokovic withdrew at the end of the first set in his match against Alexander Zverev of Germany during the men’s semifinal at the Australian Open.
The Serbian player later explained at a press conference why he was unable to continue, describing the severity of the injury he sustained during his match with Carlos Alcaraz.
Djokovic retired after one hour and 22 minutes of play, following a tiebreak loss, 5–7. Feeling unwell throughout the first set, he chose to step away when the pain became unbearable.
"I haven’t trained since the match with Alcaraz. I did everything I could to manage the muscle tear. Towards the end of the first set, I began to feel increasing pain, which I believe became too much for me at that point. It was an unfortunate ending, but I gave it my best," Djokovic revealed.
A ten-time champion of the Melbourne Grand Slam, Djokovic left the arena visibly distressed. However, many spectators booed and jeered, frustrated that the match ended prematurely.
"I’d like to ask you not to boo a player in such a situation. I know you paid for your tickets hoping to see an exciting match, but Novak has given everything to this sport for over 20 years. He’s not the type to quit without a good reason," Zverev remarked.
Novak Djokovic begins 2025 on a challenging note but remains committed to capturing another major title before the end of his career.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
