Ten-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic was booed off the court by some sections of the Rod Laver Arena audience when he sensationally retired hurt from his semi-final against Alexander Zverev on Friday after losing the first set. The Serb suffered an injury to his groin area in his quarter-final against Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz on Tuesday and took to the court with both dark tape and a white bandage enveloping his upper thigh.
He revealed afterwards he had not hit a ball since his previous match, and the pain proved too much. “I did everything I possibly can to basically manage the muscle tear that I had,” Djokovic said. “Medications, and this strap, and the physio work helped to some extent today, but towards the end of that first set, I just started feeling more and more pain, and it was too much to handle for me at the moment. So, yeah, unfortunate ending, but I tried.”.
Djokovic addressed the booing from some sections of the crowd in comments to Serbian media: “People came here, bought a ticket, expected a battle and they’re not satisfied. If you look at it from that perspective, I understand,” he said, in his native language translated to English.
“I am trying to understand them and I don’t know if they understand me, or are at least willing to. I know what’s happening in my body, and I know how I feel, how much energy I’ve given this tournament over the last 20-plus years.”. When he was asked whether this was his last Australian Open, the 37-year-old was non-committal. “I don’t know, there is a chance. Who knows? I’ll just have to see how the season goes,” he said.
