Fri Jan 24 10:03:35 UTC 2025: ## Djokovic Booed After Injury Retirement at Australian Open
**Melbourne, Australia –** Novak Djokovic’s Australian Open campaign ended abruptly on Friday after he was forced to retire from his semi-final match against Alexander Zverev due to a leg injury. The Serbian star, hampered by a heavily taped left leg since the quarter-final, lost the first set 7-6 before withdrawing, prompting boos from a section of the Rod Laver Arena crowd.
Despite the disappointment of missing out on a potential final appearance, Zverev defended Djokovic, appealing to the crowd for respect. “Please guys, don’t boo a player when he goes out with injury,” Zverev stated during a post-match interview. “Novak has given everything of his life to this sport the last 20 years,” he added, highlighting Djokovic’s past Grand Slam victories despite significant injuries.
The retirement marks Djokovic’s fifth consecutive Grand Slam without a title win, halting his pursuit of surpassing Margaret Court’s record of 24 Grand Slam singles titles. It’s also the first time in seven years he’s failed to win a Grand Slam title in a calendar year, his last victory coming at the 2023 US Open. The defeat also prevents him from reaching the 100 career title mark; only Roger Federer has achieved this milestone.
Zverev, who will now face either Jannik Sinner or Ben Shelton in Sunday’s final, praised Djokovic’s dedication. This is Zverev’s first Australian Open final appearance, having previously reached the semi-finals last year and the finals of the 2020 US Open and last year’s French Open.
First Piper 