Novak Djokovic's semifinal match vs. Alexander Zverev at the Australian Open ended far sooner than the Serbian tennis star—or the paying public—would have liked on Friday afternoon at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne. After a hard-fought first set, which Zverev won via tiebreak 7-6 (7-5) in 81 minutes, Djokovic was forced to retire due to an injury, much to the disappointment of the fans.
As Djokovic, a 10-time champion in Melbourne, walked off the court, some portions of the crowd booed the player, to which he graciously responded with a thumbs-up before heading for the tunnel.
During an interview after the match, Zverev, before sharing his thoughts on anything else, defended Djokovic while urging the fans to not boo a player after an injury.
Zverev on some of the crowd booing Djokovic after retiring from Australian Open
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) January 24, 2025
“Please guys don’t boo a player when he goes out with injury. I know everyone paid for tickets.. but Novak has given everything of his life to the sport the last 20 years”
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"The very first thing I want to say is ... Please guys, don't boo a player when he goes out with injury," Zverev said as some of the crowd cheered. "I know that everybody paid for tickets and everyone wants to see hopefully a great five-set match but you gotta understand ... Novak Djokovic is somebody that has given the sport for the past 20 years absolutely everything of his life. He has won this tournament with an abdominal tear. He has won this tournament with a hamstring tear. If he cannot continue a tennis match, it really means he cannot continue a tennis match. So please, be respectful. And really show some love for Novak as well."
Zverev, citing past counsel he received from Djokovic, added he has "nothing but respect" for the Serb.
Djokovic, during a press conference after the match, confirmed he suffered a muscle tear. When asked about the crowd's boos, the 24-time major winner said he was trying to "understand" the fans' perspective.
"I don’t know what to say," Djokovic said. "People have come, they paid for the tickets expecting a great match and a big fight, which they didn’t get. From that perspective, I can understand. I am doing my best to understand them, but I am not sure whether they understand me or if they even want to understand me."
"I know how my body works, what I feel, and I know how much I’ve given to this tournament in the past 20-plus years. I will stop here, so that I don’t continue (speaking) in the wrong direction."
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Alexander Zverev Classily Defended Novak Djokovic After Australian Open Fans' Boos.
