Djokovic Praises Zverev After Australian Open Withdrawal: "He Deserves His First Slam"
29 days ago | 5 Views
Novak Djokovic faced a disappointing conclusion to his 2025 Australian Open journey at the Rod Laver Arena. After dropping the first set to Alexander Zverev in their men’s singles semi-final, Djokovic unexpectedly withdrew from the match due to an injury, eliciting boos from the crowd, who shared in the disappointment of the moment.
In the subsequent press conference, the Serbian was prompted to reflect on his performance in Melbourne this year, and he expressed satisfaction with his overall efforts.
Zverev ‘deserves his first Slam’: Novak Djokovic
I believe I performed exceptionally well over the past year. If I had been in optimal physical condition and prepared for a challenge, I would have felt confident about my chances. I was optimistic going into today's match, although I recognized it would not be straightforward for me, nor for Sascha, even without my injury. I felt I was striking the ball effectively, and there were many positive aspects to my performance. Reaching the semi-finals is a commendable achievement given the circumstances, yet it does not meet my standards. I always aim for the highest aspiration, which is to reach the finals and contend for the trophy.
I extend my best wishes to Sascha; he truly deserves to win his first Grand Slam, and I will be supporting him in hopes that he can achieve it here.
In the post-match press conference, Djokovic disclosed that he is dealing with a muscle tear and suggested the possibility of retirement following the current season. At 37 years old, he sustained the injury during his quarter-final victory against Carlos Alcaraz, but John McEnroe accused him of feigning the injury, suggesting that the World No. 7 was attempting to deceive his opponents.
Additionally, the Serbian mentioned that he had to cancel his training sessions after defeating Alcaraz, with his first practice occurring just 90 minutes before his semi-final match against Zverev.
Zverev, currently ranked World No. 2, is a two-time Grand Slam finalist, having reached the finals at the 2020 US Open and the 2024 French Open. He also secured an Olympic gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Games. In the final, he will compete against the winner of the semi-final match between Jannik Sinner and Ben Shelton.