Novak Djokovic's Unexpected Exit from Australian Open 2025: Injury Forces Retirement in Semifinal Against Zverev

2 months ago | 5 Views

In a surprising development, Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from his semi-final match against Alexander Zverev at the 2025 Australian Open, held at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne on Friday. The Serbian star was compelled to retire after losing the first set 6(5)-7(7) due to an injury.

During his quarter-final victory over Carlos Alcaraz, Djokovic appeared to be in considerable discomfort, leading to speculation that he was exaggerating his condition to unsettle his opponent. He had also cancelled his training sessions prior to the semi-final and is reportedly dealing with a hamstring injury. Just 90 minutes before his scheduled match on Friday, Djokovic engaged in a last-minute practice session with Andy Murray to assess his situation.

Novak Djokovic's injury visible in first set

Djokovic arrived for his semi-final match against Zverev, indicating that he and his coaching team believed he was sufficiently fit to pursue a record-extending title at the Australian Open 2025. However, the match did not unfold as anticipated; his movement appeared significantly restricted during the first set, prompting him to seek quick points to minimize running. His decision to retire after the first set left both Zverev and the audience at Rod Laver Arena in shock and disappointment.

As Djokovic made his way to the locker room, he was met with boos from the crowd, to which he responded with a simple thumbs-up. The Serbian had sustained an injury to his left leg during his previous match against Carlos Alcaraz, and it became evident that his discomfort was genuine. In the meantime, Zverev took it upon himself to address the crowd during his courtside interview, urging them not to boo a player of Djokovic's stature.

Zverev, a two-time Grand Slam finalist, is set to compete against the winner of the match between Jannik Sinner and Ben Shelton in the final. The men's final is scheduled for Sunday, while the women's final will occur on Saturday. In that match, World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka will face Madison Keys from the USA, aiming to become the first woman since 1999 to secure three consecutive Australian Open titles.

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