Former WTA stars Rennae Stubbs and Andrea Petkovic have both voiced concerns about Novak Djokovic’s hamstring injury, which became a significant issue during his campaign at the 2025 Australian Open.
The Serbian suffered the injury early in his dramatic quarter-final clash against Carlos Alcaraz, a match that saw him battle through considerable discomfort. Djokovic had his thigh strapped during a medical timeout in the opening set, later revealing that he had taken two doses of medication to help him continue despite the pain. His movement was visibly restricted, especially during the latter stages of the first set and into the second, where he appeared to be struggling. Despite these challenges, the 37-year-old adopted an aggressive strategy, allowing him to secure the second set and ultimately clinch a remarkable victory as his performance improved.
However, the toll of the injury caught up with him in the semi-finals. After a grueling first set loss to Alexander Zverev, Djokovic was forced to retire from the match due to the same hamstring issue. Following his exit from the tournament, the world No. 2 posted an MRI scan of his left leg, revealing a hamstring tear, and took to social media to call out those who had doubted the severity of his injury. “Thought I’d leave this here for all the sports injury ‘experts’ out there,” Djokovic wrote on X.
On the Rennae Stubbs Tennis Podcast, the former doubles world No. 1 spoke about the severity of Djokovic’s injury and how long it might take for him to recover. “He showed the scan, the tear in his hamstring. That’s a nightmare,” Stubbs commented. “That’s minimally six weeks, minimally. I would say two months at least. Well, then again, he’ll probably get into his hyperbaric chamber to speed up the healing.”
Andrea Petkovic, also concerned by the MRI results, shared her thoughts on Djokovic’s recovery process, noting that the injury looked quite severe. “Honestly, I’ve had to look at many MRI scans, and when you see that much liquid and a big white blot like that, you know it’s serious,” Petkovic explained. “I’m not a medical expert, but I’ve seen enough to recognize that kind of injury. Basically, you’re screwed.”
Despite the grim nature of the injury, Petkovic acknowledged Djokovic’s remarkable ability to recover, particularly highlighting his unique approach to fitness. “Novak is getting older, but he’s different when it comes to recovery. What he does is not something anyone can start doing tomorrow and expect the same results,” she continued. “He’s been drinking green juices, practicing yoga, and doing breathing exercises since he was 17. He’s been dedicated to his routine for 20 years, and that’s why his body is in such incredible shape that he can still perform at the highest level.”
The combination of Djokovic’s advanced recovery methods and his years of dedication to maintaining his body might just give him the edge in bouncing back from this injury quicker than most would expect. Nonetheless, with a hamstring tear in play, the road to recovery will still be a long and challenging one.