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Novak Djokovic sparks Australian Open fear, skips training ahead of Zverev clash a day after 'retirement' claim

Jan 22, 2025 07:20 PM IST

Earlier on Tuesday, Novak Djokovic revealed that he had contemplated retiring from the quarterfinal match at the time of injury

Novak Djokovic added to the ongoing fear over his participation in the 2025 Australian Open semifinal against Alexander Zverev on Friday by skipping his practice session at Melbourne Park on Wednesday following his late-night match against Carlos Alcaraz.

Serbia's Novak Djokovic reacts to a point against Spain's Carlos Alcaraz during their men's singles quarterfinal match on day ten of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 22(AFP)
Serbia's Novak Djokovic reacts to a point against Spain's Carlos Alcaraz during their men's singles quarterfinal match on day ten of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 22(AFP)

Djokovic injured his thigh during the intense three hours and 37 minutes quarterfinal clash at the Rod Laver Arena on Tuesday. At 4-5 down in the opening set, the 37-year-old opted for a medical timeout and returned with a heavily strapped upper left thigh. He even took painkillers before the start of the fourth set. However, battling through pain, he outplayed the Spaniard to claim a stunning 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 win and reach his 50th Slam semifinal, 13 of which are at Melbourne.

'I was considering retirement'

Speaking to Eurosport after the quarterfinal win, Djokovic revealed that he had contemplated retiring from the match, however, the medication helped him eventually.

"I wanted [to be emotionless]," Djokovic told Barbara Schett. "We both feed off the energy of the crowd. The crowd was also a bit hesitant to cheer for one or the other. They didn’t know what was happening; they saw I wasn’t moving as well. Maybe they expected me to retire. I have to admit that I was considering that. I didn’t know how I’d react.

"A great win. Very proud of this performance. I keep on going. I’ve got another paramount challenge on Friday against Zverev, who is in red-hot form. It’s just trying to be able to move now and produce my best tennis."

Despite the win on Tuesday, many reckoned Djokovic's injury wasn't genuine. After tennis legend John McEnroe sparked a conspiracy theory by warning Alcaraz, "Don't be fooled" during the opening set of the match, former US Open champion Andy Roddick told his podcast later: “He was moving as well as I’ve seen Novak move in 18 months, maybe two years. It didn’t work that way in my career. If I pulled a groin, it kinda tended to stay pulled and maybe get worse.”

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Stay updated with the latest sports news, including latest headlines and updates from the Olympics 2024, where Indian athletes will compete for glory in Paris. Catch all the action from tennis Grand Slam tournaments, follow your favourite football teams and players with the latest match results, and get the latest on international hockey tournaments and series.
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