Tennis icon Jimmy Connors has weighed in on the intense reaction Novak Djokovic faced after being forced to retire due to injury at the 2025 Australian Open. Djokovic, who had injured his leg during the first set of his quarter-final win over Carlos Alcaraz, was visibly struggling during his semi-final against Alexander Zverev. After dropping the first set, he was forced to retire from the match due to the same injury, leaving Rod Laver Arena amidst harsh boos from some sections of the crowd.
The 37-year-old tennis great later confirmed that he had sustained a hamstring tear in his left leg, sharing an MRI scan on X (formerly Twitter). “Thought I’d leave this here for all the sports injury ‘experts’ out there,” the 24-time Grand Slam champion wrote, making it clear that his injury was legitimate. Djokovic’s recent history of playing through injuries adds context to his latest setback, as he had battled through a hamstring tear to win the 2023 Australian Open and overcome an abdominal injury in 2021.
During a conversation with his son Brett on his Advantage Connors podcast, Connors speculated that Djokovic’s stance on the Covid vaccine might have influenced the crowd’s response to his retirement. “It just goes to show it doesn’t matter what you do,” Connors reflected. “No good deed goes unpunished. It is crazy, but when I look back over the last few years, I see that Djokovic has made decisions that didn’t always sit well with many people around the world, particularly regarding the vaccine. He stood up for himself, believing in what he thought was right, and that’s something he faced backlash for.”
Connors went on to point out that not everyone can play the role of the “good guy.” “If everyone wore the white hat and was the good guy, it would get boring,” he noted. He also shared a quote that resonated with him: “Do what you think, say what you want, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.” For Connors, this quote encapsulated a mindset that prioritizes authenticity over public approval.
He further added that despite pushing through adversity, Djokovic would still face criticism. “It’s never enough,” Connors said. “You can push yourself to the brink, be on life support, and people will still boo you.” According to the eight-time Grand Slam winner, some individuals are predisposed to criticize no matter what, possibly driven by jealousy or other feelings. “Unless you walk a straight line, those people will always be on your back,” Connors concluded.