Tennis legend Martina Navratilova has expressed her outrage over the crowd’s reaction to Novak Djokovic’s injury-induced withdrawal during the 2025 Australian Open, calling it “disgusting.”
Djokovic, who was facing world No. 2 Alexander Zverev in the semi-finals, was forced to retire after dropping the first set 7-6(5) in a hard-fought battle. His departure from the court was met with boos from parts of the Rod Laver Arena crowd, an unsporting response that left many in disbelief.
The 37-year-old Serbian star had been battling through a muscle tear in his right leg, which he had sustained early in his gripping quarter-final win over Carlos Alcaraz. Djokovic continued to play despite the injury, strapping up his right thigh and taking medication after losing the opening set. Remarkably, he went on to win the next three sets, showcasing his resilience.
This wasn’t the first time Djokovic had fought through pain at the Australian Open. In 2023, he triumphed over a hamstring tear, and in 2021, he secured the title while dealing with an abdominal injury. His tenacity and determination are qualities that have defined his career.
After Djokovic’s withdrawal, Navratilova, an 18-time major singles champion, voiced her frustration on Tennis Channel. “What I’m really upset about is the crowd booing Novak. Seriously? Nobody wanted to finish that match more than Novak. Nobody. And then they boo. I mean seriously, it’s just disgusting.”
Rennae Stubbs, former world No. 1 in doubles, joined Navratilova in condemning the fans’ disrespectful behavior. Taking to social media, Stubbs wrote, “I don’t care what you think of Novak Djokovic, love him or hate him. If you booed him off the court today, you’re a disgrace.” The Australian continued, “That man has literally left his heart and soul on that court. He’s our greatest champion in Melbourne and he’s injured! Think about what you just did. Disgraceful!!”
Navratilova also reflected on Djokovic’s remarkable recovery, particularly his return to Wimbledon in 2024, just months after undergoing meniscus surgery. “Exactly, the fact that he could come back for Wimbledon in 2024, I did not see that coming,” she admitted. “I had the same knee injury, and it takes a while to get over that one.”
However, she also noted that Djokovic’s recent Grand Slam performances show signs of diminishing returns. “But again, you know, that’s diminishing returns, isn’t it? Only one final out of the last five majors when he won three out of four the year before.” She expressed curiosity about how he would recover from his current injury, both physically and emotionally. “We’ll see how he can bounce back from this one physically and then we’ll see if he has it still emotionally, but it just gets old.”