Age appears to be a factor for Novak Djokovic, who is now 37 years old. Nevertheless, he has advanced to the semi-finals of the Australian Open 2025, where he aims to secure his 11th Grand Slam title in Melbourne, extending his record. The World No. 7 is poised to compete against Alexander Zverev in the semi-final on Friday; however, he is reportedly dealing with a left leg injury sustained during his quarter-final victory over Carlos Alcaraz.

Since that match, Djokovic has not trained and opted to forgo practice on Thursday. This has sparked speculation regarding his potential withdrawal from the semi-final against Zverev, although no official decision has been announced. The match is set to take place at 9:00 AM IST at the Rod Laver Arena.

Reports indicate that Djokovic has reserved Court 16 for a brief training session on Friday, occurring just 90 minutes prior to his anticipated semi-final match against Zverev.

In the meantime, tennis icon John McEnroe has suggested that Djokovic may be exaggerating his injury to gain a psychological advantage over his rival. However, Alcaraz, who faced Djokovic in the quarter-finals, disagrees with this assessment. Following his loss to the Serbian, he remarked, “I think everyone observed that he was having some difficulty moving in the second set. I’m not implying that he was putting on a performance. It was evident to all that he was struggling during that set.”

It is important to highlight that Djokovic experienced an injury during the 2023 Australian Open, where he sustained a 3cm tear in his left hamstring and utilized significant strapping in every match, ultimately defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final.

"When I entered my box, I felt an emotional collapse and broke down in tears, especially with my mother and brother when I embraced them. Up until that moment, I had not allowed myself to be distracted by off-court issues or the injury, which could have easily disrupted my focus and performance," Djokovic stated.

"It demanded tremendous mental energy to remain present, to concentrate, and to approach each day as it came, assessing how far I could progress. The emotional release at the end was a significant relief. It is challenging to articulate further. This journey has been lengthy but exceptionally meaningful."

Having already missed two training sessions, he is anticipated to make a decision regarding his participation 90 minutes before his semi-final against Zverev.

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