NEW DELHI: Novak Djokovic’s quest for a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title ended prematurely as he retired injured during his Australian Open semi-final against Alexander Zverev on Friday.
The 37-year-old Serbian star, who had his upper left leg heavily taped following an injury in the quarter-finals, called it quits after losing a grueling first set 7-6 (7/5).
Djokovic’s exit from the court was met with a mix of boos and applause from the crowd, as Zverev advanced to his first Melbourne final.
This marks the fifth consecutive Grand Slam where Djokovic has failed to secure the title he needs to surpass Margaret Court’s record of 24 Grand Slam victories.
His last Grand Slam triumph came at the 2023 US Open, raising doubts about his ability to overtake Court’s record.
The defeat also denied Djokovic his 100th career title, a feat only achieved by Roger Federer (102) in the history of tennis.
Zverev will now face either world number one Jannik Sinner or American 21st seed Ben Shelton in Sunday’s final.
Despite being a two-time Grand Slam runner-up at the 2020 US Open and last year’s French Open, this will be Zverev’s first appearance in the Australian Open final.
Last year, Zverev suffered a heartbreaking defeat to Daniil Medvedev in the semi-finals after holding a 2-0 lead. However, he entered this season with renewed energy, finishing 2024 as world number two and winning more matches than anyone except Sinner, having recovered from a severe ankle injury.
Djokovic’s fitness was under scrutiny heading into the semi-final, as he required medical attention during his four-set quarter-final victory over Carlos Alcaraz. The Serbian expressed concerns about his physical condition before the match.
Despite his renowned ability to recover, Djokovic’s movement appeared unhindered initially, as evidenced by a 27-shot rally in his opening service game and his ability to save four break points. Zverev also had his share of missed opportunities, failing to convert break points at crucial moments.
The match remained on serve until the tiebreak, after which Djokovic ultimately retired due to his injury.
