India, Jan. 27 -- Prior to the semi-finals of the Australian Open 2025, it appeared that Novak Djokovic was on track for a remarkable campaign. The Serbian player was in pursuit of his record-extending 11th Grand Slam title in Melbourne, seemingly intent on making a statement. However, his journey came to an unexpected end in the semi-finals when he retired due to injury after losing the first set to eventual runner-up Alexander Zverev.

During his quarter-final match against Carlos Alcaraz, Djokovic displayed visible discomfort, leading some, including tennis icon John McEnroe, to suggest that he was exaggerating his condition to unsettle his opponent. In the lead-up to the semi-finals, he cancelled all training sessions, opting for a solitary practice session just 90 minutes before the match.

Following the first set, he withdrew and began to gather his belongings to leave the court. To the astonishment of many, he was met with boos from the Rod Laver Arena crowd, prompting Zverev to intervene during his post-match interview, urging the audience not to disrespect a player of Djokovic's stature.

In the post-match press conference, Djokovic disclosed that he had suffered a muscle tear and would seek medical evaluation upon his arrival in Europe. ESPN's Chris Fowler reported that the World No. 7 is expected to be sidelined for "a couple of months" due to a torn hamstring, with plans to return for the French Open 2025 in May.

After the match, Djokovic took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share an image of his X-ray scan in response to claims that he was feigning his injury.

During the Australian Open final between Jannik Sinner and Zverev, Fowler commented, "That's no joke, that's a pretty deep tear."

He elaborated, "That's located in the deepest part of the hamstring, which poses a significant issue due to the muscle's size. Its depth complicates proper treatment, as the hamstring has limited blood flow, making recovery more challenging than with other muscles."

"You cannot rush back from a hamstring injury; it is crucial to be certain before returning to play. Typically, injuries of this nature in sports require a recovery period of a couple of months," he concluded.

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