Retiring Novak Djokovic booed as Alexander Zverev tells off Australian Open crowd
Retiring Novak Djokovic booed as Alexander Zverev tells off Australian Open crowd
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Djokovic could not play on through the pain and quit the match after the first set as Zverev reached his first Australian Open final. Novak Djokovic dramatically retired from his Australian Open semi-final to a chorus of boos from sections of the Rod Laver Arena crowd as opponent Alexander Zverev called for “respect” to be shown to the 10-time champion.
![[Alexander Zverev shakes hands with Novak Djokovic after the first set tiebreak]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/24/05/24-2d34dbbc7da446c4b01296306500d6ff.jpg)
Djokovic immediately shook hands with Zverev upon losing the first-set tiebreak after struggling with a torn muscle in his upper left leg, sustained in his quarter-final comeback over third seed Carlos Alcaraz on Tuesday. There were a few jeers from the crowd as the match ended far earlier than expected and the 37-year-old, who was bidding to become the oldest grand slam champion of all time in Melbourne, held his thumbs up as he departed the court.
![[Alexander Zverev embraces Novak Djokovic after retirement]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/24/05/24-c7e19ef3a212463baabe7973351ccb64.jpg)
Djokovic later admitted there was a chance that he would have played on if he won the first set but, with 82 minutes already on the clock, the Serbian said he did not have anything left in the tank to come from behind once again. As Zverev was left on court having reached his first Australian Open final, the German second seed praised Djokovic and called for the crowd to be more “respectful” towards the 24-time grand slam champion, who later raised doubts over whether he would return in 2026.
