Novak Djokovic’s bid for a record 25th Grand Slam title ended in disappointment as he retired injured during his Australian Open semi-final match against Alexander Zverev on Friday.
The Serbian star left the Rod Laver Arena to boos from the crowd after losing the first set 7-6 (7/5).
Djokovic, playing with a heavily taped leg, revealed he had been struggling with a muscle tear sustained during his quarter-final win over Carlos Alcaraz. The 37-year-old hinted this might be his last appearance at the Melbourne tournament, where he is a 10-time champion.
“There is a chance. Who knows?” Djokovic said when asked if he would return to Melbourne. “I’ve had my biggest successes here. If I’m fit and motivated, I don’t see why I wouldn’t come back.”
The defeat marks the fifth consecutive Grand Slam Djokovic has failed to win, leaving him tied with Margaret Court at 24 major titles.
In the other semi-final, defending champion Jannik Sinner cruised past Ben Shelton with a 7-6 (7/2), 6-2, 6-2 victory. Despite dealing with cramps during the match, the Italian powered through to set up a clash with Zverev in Sunday’s final.
Sinner, 23, admitted the tension took a toll on him. “I had some cramps, but he [Shelton] was also struggling a bit,” he said. “I’m happy to finish in three sets and be back in the finals.”
Zverev, who is aiming for his first Grand Slam title after two previous final losses, defended Djokovic against the crowd’s criticism. “We should stop blaming Novak,” he said. “He’s done everything for the sport over the last 20 years.”
Sunday’s final will feature the tournament’s top two seeds, with Zverev seeking to end his Grand Slam drought and Sinner hoping to defend his Melbourne title.
