Novak Djokovic, king of the Australian Open after winning the hard-court title 10 times, won't win a 11th one, at least not in 2025, and has retired from the Australian Open after loosing the first set in the semi-final to Alexander Zverev 7-6(5). This way, 27-year-old Zverev and World No. 2 reaches his third Grand Slam final and his first one in Melbourne (he previously lost the 2020 US Open and the 2024 Roland Garros).
Djokovic was suffering from a muscle tear in his upper left leg. When he defeated Carlos Alcaraz two days ago, he said that he used the injury as a "tactic" to distract Alcaraz. Back then some suggested he was faking it, but it seems it wasn't the case.
"Medications and, I guess, the strap, and the physio work helped to some extent today. But towards the end of that first set I just started feeling more and more pain. It was too much, I guess, to handle for me at the moment", the 37-year-old Serbian said.
'Sasha' Zverev said after the match that he didn't initially noticed anything strange in his opponent, "I actually thought it was quite a high-level first set", he said shrugging, with extremely long, physical rallies. "I did see him struggle maybe a bit more".
After the 1 hour 21 minute first set, that anticipated a long and gruelling battle, Djokovic decided he couldn't do it anymore and announced his withdrawal. Part of the crowd, instead of cheering the ten-time champion, booed him, and Zverev defended him.
"Please guys don't boo a player when he goes out with injury. I know everyone paid for tickets and everyone wants to see a great five-set match, but Novak has given absolutely everything of his life to the sport the last 20 years", the German player said, earning a big applause from the crowd.
"There's no guy in the tour that I respect more than Novak. He's been one my closes friends on tour, whenever I struggle I could always call him, I spoke him for hours last year in Shanghai when I was struggling mentally after loosing the US Open quarterfinals", Zverev said, reminding the crowd that Novak Djokovic has already won finals with injuries, so if he says he can't continue, he can't continue.