Djokovic's Australian Open Bid Cut Short by Injury in Semi-Final Clash

Novak Djokovic's Australian Open campaign came to a premature end as he retired hurt in the semi-finals against Alexander Zverev.

Novak Djokovic's bid for a record 25th Grand Slam title was left in tatters after he retired from the Australian Open semi-final with a muscle tear, sparking concerns that he may have played his last match at Melbourne Park. The 37-year-old Serb's upper left leg was heavily taped after he hurt it in the quarter-finals, and he eventually called it quits after losing the first set 7-6(7/5) to Alexander Zverev.

As Djokovic left the court, he was met with a mixture of boos and applause, while Zverev advanced to his first Melbourne final. When asked if he may have graced the Melbourne Park courts for the last time, Djokovic hinted that it was a possibility. “There is a chance. Who knows,” he said. “I'll just have to see how the season goes. I want to keep going. But whether I'm going to have a revised schedule or not for the next year, I'm not sure.”

Djokovic, who has enjoyed immense success at Melbourne Park throughout his career, expressed his desire to continue competing in Australia if he remains fit, healthy, and motivated. “I normally like to come to Australia to play. I've had the biggest success in my career here. So if I'm fit, healthy, motivated, I don't see a reason why I wouldn't come,” he added. However, Djokovic also acknowledged that there is always a chance that he may not return to Melbourne Park. “But there's always a chance, yeah,” he said.

Novak Djokovic's quest to surpass Margaret Court's record of 24 Grand Slam titles has been put on hold once again, as he suffered a semi-final defeat at the Australian Open. Djokovic has now gone five Grand Slams without winning a title, with his last victory coming at the 2023 US Open. This setback has cast further doubt on whether he will ever achieve his goal of becoming the all-time leader in Grand Slam titles.

Despite his disappointment, Djokovic reflected positively on his tournament run, saying: “I actually thought I played really well, as well as I played the last 12 months, to be honest. I liked my chances if I was physically fit and ready to battle. I think I was striking the ball very well. A lot of positives to take in terms of how I played.” Djokovic also graciously wished his opponent, Alexander Zverev, well in the final, stating: “I wish Sascha all the best. You know, he deserves his first Slam. I'll be cheering for him.”

Zverev's reward for reaching the final is a showdown with either world number one Jannik Sinner or American 21st seed Ben Shelton on Sunday. This will be Zverev's first Australian Open final, although he has been a Grand Slam runner-up twice before, at the 2020 US Open and last year's French Open. Zverev was critical of some members of the crowd who booed Djokovic as he left the court, saying: “Novak Djokovic is somebody that has given to the sport for the past 20 years absolutely everything of his life. So please be respectful and really, really show some love for Novak as well.”

Novak Djokovic faced questions about his fitness ahead of his semi-final clash against Alexander Zverev, having required medical attention during his quarter-final win over Carlos Alcaraz. However, Djokovic has consistently demonstrated his ability to recover from injuries and setbacks throughout his career, and initially, his movement did not appear to be hindered.

Zverev on some of the crowd booing Djokovic after retiring from Australian Open

“Please guys don’t boo a player when he goes out with injury. I know everyone paid for tickets.. but Novak has given everything of his life to the sport the last 20 years”

pic.twitter.com/faY33oKgk5

— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) January 24, 2025

The match began with a thrilling 27-shot rally in Djokovic's opening service game, showcasing his trademark speed and agility. He also successfully saved four break points, displaying his characteristic resilience. Zverev, however, was not to be underestimated, and he managed to save three break points of his own to keep the match on serve at 2-2. Both players experienced periods of inconsistency, with Djokovic struggling to find his rhythm on serve.

As the set progressed, Zverev missed another break point opportunity at 4-4, despite Djokovic's struggles with his first serve, which was only finding its mark about 50% of the time. The set ultimately went to a tiebreak, where Djokovic made a crucial error, netting a simple volley to hand Zverev the set. In a display of sportsmanship, Djokovic immediately approached Zverev to shake hands, acknowledging his opponent's victory in the set.