Djokovic withdraws from the Australian Open due to injury, and Zverev advances to the final.
German defends rival from boos and praises Serbian's dedication to tennis.
247 - Novak Djokovic is out of the 2025 Australian Open. The Serbian, the greatest Grand Slam champion in history, withdrew from the semifinal against Alexander Zverev after losing the first set 7-6 (5) in 1 hour and 22 minutes of play. Throughout the match, Djokovic had his left thigh protected, a consequence of an injury suffered in the quarterfinals against Carlos Alcaraz. As he left the Rod Laver Arena court, the Serbian was met with some boos, which Zverev promptly disapproved of.
“Please, everyone. Don’t boo the player when he leaves the court with an injury. I know everyone paid for their tickets. But Novak has always given everything for the sport in the last 20 years,” declared the German, who now awaits the winner of the other semifinal, between Jannik Sinner and Ben Shelton.
Djokovic, who was seeking his 11th title in Melbourne, has impressive numbers in the tournament: 99 wins and 301 sets won throughout his career. However, physical limitations ultimately took their toll. This was the Serbian's fifth defeat to Zverev in 13 encounters, the last meeting between the two having occurred in the semi-final of the Cincinnati Masters 1.000 in 2023, when Djokovic emerged victorious.
The game: balance and physical pain.
The first set was marked by an intense pace, with both players relying on long rallies from the baseline, despite the intense heat in Melbourne. Zverev had five chances to break his opponent's serve, while Djokovic had three similar opportunities, but neither managed to convert. The match went to a tie-break, where Zverev showed greater consistency and benefited from an unforced error by Djokovic, who lost a simple volley at the net, sealing the score at 7-6 for the German.
Immediately after the end of the set, Djokovic chose to retire from the match, highlighting the mobility difficulties that had already appeared during the tie-break. The injury, which had plagued him since the match against Alcaraz, compromised his performance and, consequently, his quest for another historic title.
Zverev eyeing the title
Currently ranked second in the ATP rankings, Alexander Zverev is in his second Grand Slam final. Last year, the German also reached the US Open final, but was ultimately defeated. In Melbourne, he seeks to consolidate his position among the top players on the circuit, after years of inconsistency in crucial moments.
With Djokovic's withdrawal, the expectation now rests on the match between Jannik Sinner, the current world number 1 and defending champion, and American Ben Shelton, considered one of tennis's great up-and-coming players. Watch the highlights:
