Novak Djokovic mentioned on Friday that he might have just played his final Australian Open after retiring due to a muscle tear in the semi-finals, which dashed his hopes of claiming a record 25th Grand Slam title.
The 37-year-old had his upper left leg heavily bandaged again after sustaining an injury during the quarter-finals. He withdrew from the match after dropping the first set 7-6 (7/5) to Alexander Zverev.
As Djokovic exited the court, he was met with a mix of booing and applause while the German moved on to his first final in Melbourne.
“There’s a possibility. Who knows?” Djokovic responded when questioned if he could have played at Melbourne Park for the last time.
“I’ll have to assess how the season unfolds. I want to keep playing. However, I’m uncertain whether I’ll have a modified schedule for next year.
“I typically enjoy competing in Australia. This is where I’ve achieved the most success in my career. If I’m healthy, fit, and motivated, I don’t see a reason not to come,” he continued. “But there’s always a possibility, yes.”
Djokovic has now gone through five Grand Slam tournaments without securing the title he needs to surpass Margaret Court’s 24 and become the all-time leader.
He failed to capture a Grand Slam title for the first time in seven years in 2024, with his most recent victory at the 2023 US Open, further casting doubt on whether he will ever exceed Court. His semi-final disappointment also denied him a chance at a 100th career title.
“I genuinely felt I performed quite well, as well as I had in the last year, to be honest,” he remarked regarding his performance in the tournament.
“I felt confident if I was physically fit and prepared to fight. I believe I was hitting the ball well. There are many positives to take from how I played.
“I wish Sascha (Zverev) all the best. You know, he deserves his first Grand Slam. I’ll be rooting for him.”
Zverev’s reward is a contest on Sunday against either world number one Jannik Sinner or American 21st seed Ben Shelton.
Though the German has previously been a Grand Slam runner-up twice—at last year’s French Open and the 2020 US Open—this is his first time reaching a final in Melbourne.
Last year, at the same semi-final stage, he was defeated by Daniil Medvedev in five sets after leading 2-0.
Zverev began the season with a renewed sense of purpose after finishing 2024 as world number two, achieving more match victories than anyone except Sinner, and bouncing back after a serious ankle injury.
Zverev called out certain sections of the audience for booing Djokovic off the court.
“Novak Djokovic is someone who has put everything into this sport for the past 20 years,” he stated in a post-match interview. “So please show respect and truly, truly give some affection to Novak as well.”
Djokovic entered the match facing uncertainties about his fitness after needing medical assistance during his four-set quarter-final victory over Carlos Alcaraz. However, the Serb, recognized for his exceptional recovery abilities, initially did not appear to be affected.
He exhibited his usual agility during an opening service game that included a 27-shot rally and saved four break points.
Zverev also saved three break points to maintain the serve at 2-2, with both athletes alternating between moments of brilliance and inconsistencies.
At 4-4, another break point slipped away for Zverev as Djokovic managed only 50 percent of his first serves.
The set proceeded to a tense tiebreak, where Djokovic netted an easy volley, allowing Zverev to take the set. The Serb then approached his opponent to shake hands.
