Novak Djokovic’s career has always defied conventional expectations, and once again, he found himself navigating controversy during his semi-final match at the 2025 Australian Open. The Serbian star was forced to retire from his match against Alexander Zverev after the first set, which was marked by painful jeers from the crowd. Djokovic had previously sustained a muscle injury in his gripping quarter-final win over Carlos Alcaraz, and though he pushed himself to play through the pain against Zverev, he ultimately couldn’t continue.
Reflecting on his withdrawal, the 37-year-old admitted, “I did everything I possibly can to manage the muscle tear that I had. Medications, the 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. It was too much to handle for me at the moment. Unfortunate ending, but I tried.”
He went on to explain that even if he had won the first set, the battle would have been far too daunting physically. “Even if I won the first set, it’s going to be a huge uphill battle for me to stay physically fit enough to stay with him in the rallies for another God knows what, two, three, four hours. I don’t think I had that, unfortunately, today in the tank.”
The situation took a sour turn when the crowd’s reaction to his exit became a talking point. The boos came as rumors circulated that Djokovic might have exaggerated the extent of his injury, especially after his scintillating performance against Alcaraz. Tennis commentator John McEnroe even implied that Djokovic had a history of using injury concerns to alter the momentum of matches. This suggestion didn’t go unnoticed, and Djokovic didn’t hold back when responding to his critics, saying, “To be honest, I haven’t seen these comments, so I can’t say more. What I can say is that it’s always easier to judge and criticize than to understand. It’s a lesson I’ve learned in life.”
In a powerful move to silence the doubters, Djokovic took to social media, sharing an MRI scan of his injury with a pointed message: “Thought I’d leave this here for all the sports injury ‘experts’ out there.” It’s mind-boggling that a 24-time Grand Slam champion, with countless accolades and an unmatched legacy, should feel the need to defend the authenticity of his injuries.
This isn’t the first time Djokovic has faced such scrutiny. Last year, he had to withdraw from the French Open due to injury, but his ability to play through discomfort has led to some questioning the severity of his pain. For a man who has dedicated decades to the sport, it’s frustrating to see him forced into this position, defending himself against accusations of faking injury.
What made the situation even more perplexing was the crowd’s reaction as Djokovic limped off the court. Such jeers would never be directed at other legends of the sport—Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal would never face this kind of disrespect. In fact, it’s hard to imagine a scenario where any other player, no matter how decorated, would face the same level of scrutiny for withdrawing from a match due to injury.
If this was to be Djokovic’s last appearance in Melbourne, it would be a tragic end to a storied career at a tournament where he has dominated for over a decade. The harsh reaction from the crowd stood in stark contrast to the respect he has earned through years of excellence.
It’s difficult to imagine any other sport treating its greatest champion in such a manner. Would Tiger Woods ever be booed for withdrawing due to injury? Could anyone fathom Lionel Messi being jeered off the field amid injury concerns? The disrespect directed at Djokovic is both puzzling and unjustified.
Former world No. 1 Andy Roddick encapsulated the absurdity of the situation in his podcast, Served. “I thought it was so s****y to boo someone who’s won ten times there,” Roddick said, referring to Djokovic’s dominance at the Australian Open. “Someone who you don’t know if they are going to come back. It would suck if Novak’s last memory in a place where we have seen excellence from him to the point where we probably take it too much for granted to be getting booed off the court. That sucks man.”
Roddick continued, praising Djokovic for his sportsmanship and generosity off the court. “You hope that he has that beautiful sunset in a place where he has provided so much excellence. I’m not saying you have to agree with everything he’s done, but we have to appreciate excellence. We have to appreciate history.”
Djokovic has earned the right to be respected, not only for his on-court brilliance but also for his character and contributions to the sport. The bizarre tendency to undermine him, especially from those who would prefer to see him dethroned as the greatest player of all-time, is a sad reflection of the ongoing narrative that surrounds him. At this point, there’s little doubt that Djokovic’s legacy, despite the noise and criticism, is one that stands unchallenged as one of the greatest the sport has ever seen.