Novak Djokovic has fans worried about his availability for the 2025 Australian Open semifinal against Alexander Zverev after he missed his practice session at Melbourne Park on Wednesday. This came right after his grueling late-night match against Carlos Alcaraz.

During the intense quarterfinal that lasted three hours and 37 minutes at the Rod Laver Arena on Tuesday, Djokovic hurt his thigh. He called for a medical timeout when he was down 4-5 in the first set and came back with his upper left thigh heavily bandaged. He even took some painkillers before the fourth set. Despite the discomfort, he managed to outplay Alcaraz, winning 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4, and making it to his 50th Slam semifinal, with 13 of those being in Melbourne.

I was thinking about hanging up my boots

After his quarterfinal victory, Djokovic chatted with Eurosport and shared that he had thought about quitting the match, but the medication he took ended up helping him push through.

"I wanted to stay calm and not show too much emotion," Djokovic said to Barbara Schett. "We both draw energy from the crowd, but they seemed a bit unsure about who to cheer for. They could see I wasn’t moving as well, and maybe they thought I might retire. Honestly, I was considering it. I wasn’t sure how I’d handle it."

"It was a fantastic win, and I’m really proud of how I played. I’m just going to keep pushing forward. I’ve got a big challenge ahead on Friday against Zverev, who’s been playing incredibly well. Right now, it’s all about being able to move and play my best tennis."

Even with the win on Tuesday, some people doubted the seriousness of Djokovic's injury. Tennis legend John McEnroe stirred up some speculation by warning Alcaraz, "Don't be fooled," during the first set. Later, former US Open champ Andy Roddick mentioned on his podcast, “He was moving better than I’ve seen Novak move in a year and a half, maybe two. That’s not how it went for me; if I pulled a groin, it usually stayed pulled and often got worse.”

Read Also: Australian Open Controversy: Iga Swiatek Labeled 'Cheat' Amid Calls for Rule Changes

Get the latest Bollywood entertainment news, trending celebrity news, latest celebrity news, new movie reviews, latest entertainment news, latest Bollywood news, and Bollywood celebrity fashion & style updates!

HOW DID YOU LIKE THIS ARTICLE? CHOOSE YOUR EMOTICON!