In a stunning development at the Australian Open, Novak Djokovic withdrew because of injury after losing the first set of his semifinal match versus Alexander Zverev.
Zverev, the No. 2 seed, won a grueling first set in a 7–6 tiebreaker that lasted one hour and 26 minutes. No. 7 Djokovic decided he couldn’t continue with a left leg injury that was hindering him throughout the match. The 10-time Australian Open champion revealed afterward that the injury was a muscle tear.
Zverev will face defending Australian Open champion and No. 1 seed Jannik Sinner, who beat American Ben Shelton 7-6(2), 6-2, 6-2, in Sunday’s final. Zverev is pursuing his first major tournament title.
In the first semifinal, Djokovic put his thumb up and conceded the match as soon as the first set ended. Zverev looked shocked and the very pro-Djoker crowd at Rod Laver Arena was initially hushed in disbelief before some fans started booing.
“Please, guys — don’t boo a player when he goes out with injury,” Zverev said on-court in his post-match interview.
“I know everyone paid for tickets and everybody wants to see a great five set match. But you have to understand for the past 20 years, Novak Djokovic has given tennis absolutely everything,” he added. “He has won this tournament with an abdominal tear, a hamstring tear. If he cannot continue with this match, it means he really can’t continue.”
Djokovic responded to the boos by flashing two thumbs up to the crowd.
Djokovic set the pace early in the match and appeared to be controlling play, to Zverev’s frustration. Despite being able to return serve consistently, Zverev was often stymied by Djokovic’s play at the net.
Though the injury bothered Djokovic during his quarterfinal victory over Carlos Alcaraz and he wasn’t able to practice on Wednesday or Thursday before the match with Zverev, it didn’t appear to be an issue. During the ESPN telecast, broadcasters John McEnroe and Jim Courier both remarked that Djokovic wasn’t playing like he was injured.
That obviously changed as the first set progressed. Djokovic was limping as he went to his chair at the change of ends. Yet he still almost won. What would have happened had Djokovic won? Would he have attempted to play another set or two? He admitted that would have been difficult.
“Until an hour before today’s match, I did everything I possibly could to manage the muscle tear that I had,” Djokovic told reporters afterward.
“Medications and the strap and the physio work helped to some extent today,” he continued. “But towards the end of that first set, I just started feeling more and more pain, and it was too much for me to handle for me at the moment. So, unfortunate ending, but I tried.”
Novak Djokovic confirms he has a muscle tear after retiring from Australian Open SF against Zverev:
“Look, it’s a muscle tear. Two years ago, you know, I have managed it better. On the court it didn’t bother me as much. This time that wasn’t the case.”
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) January 24, 2025
For Djokovic, his retirement from the match means that he won’t win his record 25th major title and 11th Australian Open. Injuries have prevented him from finishing two of his past four Grand Slam tournaments. He withdrew from last year’s French Open before the quarterfinals due to a torn meniscus in his right knee.
Asked if this could be his final Australian Open, Djokovic said, “There is a chance, who knows.”
“I will have to see how the season goes,” he added. “I want to keep going but whether I’m going to have a revised schedule or not, I don’t know. If I’m fit, healthy, motivated, I will always come here.”
In the second semifinal, Sinner cruised past Shelton after a tough first set went to tiebreak. Sinner, a 23-year-old from Italy, is looking for his second straight Aussie crown and third major overall. He also won the 2024 US Open after being cleared in a doping case. The case is still under appeal with a hearing scheduled for April.
Sinner briefly needed treatment from a trainer in the third set after he grabbed his right leg. He said afterward he was suffering from cramps.
Zverev will be in his third major final after losing each of his first two attempts at a title in five sets.
“We’ve had some tough matches in the past,” Sinner said. “Everything can happen. He’s an incredible player.
“There’s gonna be — again — a lot of tension. But I’m happy to be in this position. I’m gonna enjoy it. Hopefully it’s going to be a good match.”
