Australian Open: Injured Djokovic held out but targets more Grand Slams | Tennis News

Serbia’s Novak Djokovic will seek a record 25th Grand Slam title despite retiring injured from the Australian Open.

Novak Djokovic vowed to continue his hunt for a record 25th Grand Slam title as he dealt with the disappointment of withdrawing from his semi-final due to a muscle injury at the Australian Open where he was booed on the field by some of the Melbourne spectators.

Djokovic retired on Friday after losing the first set 7-6(5) to Alexander Zverev and the 10-time champion made a painful exit from Rod Laver Arena amid negative response from sections of the crowd.

It was his second Grand Slam injury setback in a year, having withdrawn from the French Open with a knee problem before his quarter-final against Casper Ruud. Four months before his 38th birthday, time could catch up with the Serbian great, but he remained adamant he had more to give in the twilight of an extraordinary career.

“It’s not like I’m worried about getting close to every Grand Slam now, whether I get injured or not, but the stats are against me over the last couple of years,” he told the journalists. “So it is true that (I) have been getting injured a bit in recent years. I don’t know exactly what the reason for that is. Maybe several different factors.

“But I will continue. I will continue to strive to win more slams. And as long as I feel like I’m willing to put up with all of that, I’ll be there.

Djokovic entered the match under a cloud after a draining but brilliant quarterfinal victory over Carlos Alcaraz in which he took a lengthy medical delay after the first set.

He had his left thigh taped up when he took the court against Zverev, but there were few signs of the strain until fairly late in the set.

After battling through a hamstring injury during his title run two years ago, and a torn abdominal muscle during his 2021 championship at Melbourne Park, Djokovic’s retirement stunned the crowd and also surprised Zverev .

The Serbian said he could have continued to compete if he had won the set but questioned whether it was worth it.

Although “upset and disappointed”, Djokovic was ultimately philosophical, saying he would root for Zverev as Germany bid for his first Grand Slam title after losing in two finals.

“I actually thought I played very well, as well as I have played in the last 12 months, to be honest,” Djokovic said.

“I liked my chances…lots of positives to take based on how I played from the semis. This is a very good result considering the circumstances. But it’s not satisfactory for me – for my standards.

“I always look for the highest goal, to reach the final and fight for a trophy.”

On his new partnership with Andy Murray, which helped the Serbian prepare for the first Grand Slam of the year, Djokovic was unsure if they would continue together.

“I will definitely chat with Andy: thank him for being here with me, give him my feedback, which is, of course, positive, and see how he feels,” Djokovic said. “We’re still hot-headed and disappointed, so it’s hard to turn the page and start talking about next steps.”

It was already a turbulent tournament for Djokovic, who backed Danielle Collins’ response of blowing a kiss to a hostile Melbourne crowd. The American also thanked spectators for paying for her upcoming five-star vacation after beating local Destanee Aiava in the second round.

Djokovic refused an on-court interview with Australian broadcaster, Channel Nine, over an “offensive and racist” jibe.

The TV presenter involved, Steve Jones, later apologized for the remarks, which also attracted the attention of Elon Musk and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

Zverev, meanwhile, will face Italian top seed Jannik Sinner or American 21st seed Ben Shelton in the men’s final on Sunday.