Djokovic Retires Injured, Sending Zverev to Australian Open Final

Photo : Reuters

Alex Zverev reached his first Australian Open final after Novak Djokovic had to stop playing due to an injury in their semi-final match on Friday. Djokovic lost the first set 7-6(5) and was clearly in pain. He had a bandage on his left thigh before the match, which made people worried about his health. However, Djokovic didn’t show any clear signs of being hurt until late in the first set. Then, he started walking slower between points and seemed frustrated, often looking toward his team.

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After losing the set, Djokovic told Zverev that he could not continue and shook hands with the umpire before leaving the court. The crowd started booing as he walked off, but Zverev asked the fans not to boo. Zverev explained that injuries happen, and while people want to see a long match, players cannot control when they get hurt.

Zverev will now play the winner of the match between Jannik Sinner and Ben Shelton in the final on Sunday. Zverev is hoping to win his first Grand Slam title.

For Djokovic, his wait for a 25th major title continues. Last year, he lost in the semi-finals of the Australian Open to Sinner. Even though Djokovic was hurt, he is known for playing through injuries, having won this tournament before with an abdominal tear and a hamstring injury.