Injured Novak Djokovic Booed After He Quits Semifinal at Australian Open: ‘I Did Everything I Possibly Could’

Mar. 15, 2025

Novak Djokovic, pictured exiting the court after retiring from the Australian Open tennis tournament in 2025.Photo:MARTIN KEEP/AFP via Getty

MARTIN KEEP/AFP via Getty

Novak Djokovicis recovering from an injury that left him unable to claim his 11th Australian Open victory.On Friday afternoon, local time, the Serbian tennis player, 37, arrived for his semifinal againstAlexander Zverevwith his left leg heavily taped, having torn a muscle during Tuesday’s win overCarlos Alcaraz.He played just one set when he was forced to retire from the competition with injury, according to theBBC.“I did everything I possibly could do to manage the muscle tear that I had,” said Djokovic in a press conference.Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev, pictured.Fred Lee/Getty"Towards the end of that first set, I just started feeling more and more pain,” he continued. “It was too much to handle for me.“Despite having missed Wednesday and Thursday’s practice, the 10-time Australian Open champion was on track for a 25th grand slam victory before losing the first set 7-6 (7-5) in 80 minutes.According to the BBC, some of the 15,000 fans sitting inside Rod Laver Arena booedDjokovicas he began to walk off the court.“I don’t know what to tell you. But, people came here, paid for the tickets and expected a battle, and they didn’t get it,” Djokovic told Serbian media after the match, perThe Sydney Morning Herald.Novak Djokovic, pictured.Clive Brunskill/Getty“If you look at it that way, I understand,” he continued. “At least I’m trying to understand them. I don’t know if they understand me or wish to understand me.“I know what’s in my body, what I feel, how much I gave of myself to this tournament in the past 20 plus years. Now I’ll stop, so I don’t continue down the wrong path,” he added.Djokovic previously won the 2021 title despite having an abdominal muscle tear and had a torn hamstring while playing in 2023.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Zverev defended Djokovic in hison-court interviewon Friday, arguing that the crowd should’ve shown more respect.“I know that everybody paid for tickets there, and hopefully gets to see a great five-set match,” Zverev said, perThe Sydney Morning Herald.“But you’ve got to understand Novak Djokovic is someone who has given this sport for the past 20 years absolutely everything of his life,” he continued. “He has won this tournament with an abdominal tear. He has won this tournament with a hamstring tear.”The world No.2 will now go up against Italian playerJannik Sinneror American playerBen Sheltonwith the hopes of winning his first Grand Slam title on Sunday.

Novak Djokovicis recovering from an injury that left him unable to claim his 11th Australian Open victory.

On Friday afternoon, local time, the Serbian tennis player, 37, arrived for his semifinal againstAlexander Zverevwith his left leg heavily taped, having torn a muscle during Tuesday’s win overCarlos Alcaraz.

He played just one set when he was forced to retire from the competition with injury, according to theBBC.

“I did everything I possibly could do to manage the muscle tear that I had,” said Djokovic in a press conference.

Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev, pictured.Fred Lee/Getty

Fred Lee/Getty

“Towards the end of that first set, I just started feeling more and more pain,” he continued. “It was too much to handle for me.”

Despite having missed Wednesday and Thursday’s practice, the 10-time Australian Open champion was on track for a 25th grand slam victory before losing the first set 7-6 (7-5) in 80 minutes.

According to the BBC, some of the 15,000 fans sitting inside Rod Laver Arena booedDjokovicas he began to walk off the court.

“I don’t know what to tell you. But, people came here, paid for the tickets and expected a battle, and they didn’t get it,” Djokovic told Serbian media after the match, perThe Sydney Morning Herald.

Novak Djokovic, pictured.Clive Brunskill/Getty

Clive Brunskill/Getty

“If you look at it that way, I understand,” he continued. “At least I’m trying to understand them. I don’t know if they understand me or wish to understand me.

“I know what’s in my body, what I feel, how much I gave of myself to this tournament in the past 20 plus years. Now I’ll stop, so I don’t continue down the wrong path,” he added.

Djokovic previously won the 2021 title despite having an abdominal muscle tear and had a torn hamstring while playing in 2023.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Zverev defended Djokovic in hison-court interviewon Friday, arguing that the crowd should’ve shown more respect.

“I know that everybody paid for tickets there, and hopefully gets to see a great five-set match,” Zverev said, perThe Sydney Morning Herald.

“But you’ve got to understand Novak Djokovic is someone who has given this sport for the past 20 years absolutely everything of his life,” he continued. “He has won this tournament with an abdominal tear. He has won this tournament with a hamstring tear.”

The world No.2 will now go up against Italian playerJannik Sinneror American playerBen Sheltonwith the hopes of winning his first Grand Slam title on Sunday.

source: people.com