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The public in Melbourne, Australia, was not kind to Novak Djokovic early on Friday morning.
In his quest to extend his record with a 25th Grand Slam, Djokovic only managed to play one set, retiring from his Australian Open semifinal match after tearing a muscle in his left leg.
The withdrawal sent Alexander Zverev into Sunday’s final against Jannick Sinner, and left the crowd disappointed.
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Serbia’s Novak Djokovic packs his bags after retiring from his men’s singles semi-final match against Germany’s Alexander Zverev on day 13 of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 24, 2025. (WILLIAM WEST/AFP via Getty Images)
After conceding the match to Zverev, who won the set, fans booed him as he walked to the locker room.
Djokovic stopped, turned around and responded by giving two thumbs up.
Zverev made his disappointment with the crowd known.
“Don’t boo a player when he comes out injured. I know everyone paid for tickets and everyone wants to see a great five-set match, but you have to understand that Novak Djokovic is someone who has given this sport over the last 20 years absolutely everything. in his life,” Zverev said in his on-court interview.
Novak Djokovic of Serbia walks out after his match against Alexander Zverev of Germany in the men’s singles semi-finals of the 2025 Australian Open at Melbourne Park. (Mike Frey-Imagn Images)
“He has won this tournament with an abdominal tear. He has won this tournament with a torn hamstring. If he can’t continue a tennis match, it really means he can’t continue a tennis match. So please, be respectful.”
John McEnroe added on the call: “You can’t possibly be booing him. Please! He’s won this 10 times, for God’s sake. Unreal…
“I mean, clearly something was going on. The guy is a fighter. I mean, he and Rafa (Nadal) have gone deeper than either player I’ve seen. So I did that because he decided he couldn’t continue after what done here seemed absolutely ridiculous to me, honestly, it was almost as depressing as watching the end of the game.
Djokovic suffered the injury during his five-set classic against Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinals, but said the pain was “getting worse.”
“Towards the end of the first set, I started to feel more and more pain, and it was too much for me at that moment. So, yeah, unfortunate ending, but I tried,” Djokovic said.
“I knew that even if I won the first set, it was going to be a very uphill battle for me.”
Retired last year French Open before the quarterfinals after tearing the meniscus in his right knee during a match.
Djokovic had surgery a couple of days later and immediately reached the final of the next major, Wimbledon, and then won a gold medal for Serbia at the Paris Olympics.
Serbia’s Novak Djokovic reacts with a point against Germany’s Alexander Zverev during their men’s singles semi-final match on day 13 of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 24, 2025. (WILLIAM WEST/AFP via Getty Images)
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This will be Zverev’s first final at the Australian Open and the third final of his career. He also reached the final of last year’s French Open and the 2020 US Open.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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