Novak Djokovic has suggested he could have made his last appearance at the Australian Open after retiring in Friday’s semi-final against Alexander Zverev, Afrosport reports.
The Serbian lost the first set 6-7 (5-7) in a tie break and immediately conceded the match to Zverev, denying him the chance to win the elusive 25th Grand Slam title.
The 37-year-old has been nursing a torn muscle in his left leg during the course of the tournament, often needing injections and painkillers to get by in matches.
It has raised questions if Djokovic will be able to return to Melbourne Park next year but he was not able to give a definitive answer.
“I don’t know. There is a chance. Who knows? I’ll just have to see how the season goes. I want to keep going,” he said.
“But whether I’m going to have a revised schedule or not for the next year, I’m not sure. I normally like to come to Australia to play. I’ve had the biggest success in my career here. So if I’m fit, healthy, motivated, I don’t see a reason why I wouldn’t come. But there’s always a chance, yeah.”
🤯 @alexzverev claims an extraordinary first set – and ultimately the match.
Having battled through the set, @djokernole has been forced to retire due to injury.@wwos • @espn • @eurosport • @wowowtennis • #AusOpen • #AO2025 pic.twitter.com/uH2iiLJaVC
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 24, 2025
Reflecting on the game, Djokovic stated that he was in so much pain and losing the first set made him throw in the towel. He was also uncertain if he would have continued had he won the set.
“…I did everything I possibly can to basically manage the muscle tear that I had. Yeah, medications and, I guess, the strap, and the physio work helped to some extent today,” he continued.
“But yeah, towards the end of that first set I just started feeling more and more pain. It was, yeah, too much, I guess, to handle for me at the moment. Yeah, unfortunate ending, but I tried.
“…If I won the first set, maybe I would try, yeah, I don’t know, a few more games, half a set, maybe a set. I don’t know. It was getting worse and worse.
“I knew even if I won the first set, that it’s going to be a huge uphill battle for me to stay physically fit enough to stay with him in the rallies, you know, for another God knows what, two, three, four hours. I don’t think I had that, unfortunately, today in the tank.”
Fans booed as Djokovic as he walked off the court, and he responded by giving two thumbs-up. Zverev,speaking after the match, spoke against fans for booing the 10-time Australian Open champion.
“The very first thing I want to say is, please, guys, don’t boo a player when he goes out with injury,” the German said.
“I know that everybody paid for tickets and everybody wants to see hopefully a great five-set match and everything. But you got to understand, Novak Djokovic is somebody that has given the sport for the past 20 years absolutely everything of his life.
“He has won this tournament with an abdominal tear. He has won this tournament with a hamstring tear. If he cannot continue a tennis match, it really means that he cannot continue a tennis match. So please be respectful and when really show some love for Novak as well.”
Sinner salutes on semifinal day!
The defending champion will seek back-to-back #AusOpen titles on Sunday.@janniksin • @wwos • @espn • @eurosport • @wowowtennis • #AusOpen • #AO2025 pic.twitter.com/iknm62tST1
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 24, 2025
Zverev will face world number one Jannik Sinner in the final after the Italian defeated American Ben Shelton 7-6 (7-2), 6-2, 6-2 in the other semi-final.
