Alexander Zverev advanced to his first Australian Open final after Novak Djokovic retired injured during their semi-final match on Friday, leaving his bid for a record 25th Grand Slam title in tatters.
The 37-year-old Serbian player, whose upper left leg was heavily taped due to an injury sustained in the quarter-finals, called it quits after losing the first set 7-6 (7/5) to Zverev. Djokovic left the court to a mixed reaction of boos and applause as Zverev reached his first final in Melbourne.
After the match, Djokovic spoke candidly about his future at the Australian Open, suggesting that this could be his last appearance in Melbourne. "There is a chance. Who knows," Djokovic said when asked if he may have played his final Australian Open. "I’ll just have to see how the season goes. I want to keep going, but whether I’m going to have a revised schedule or not for the next year, I’m not sure."
The tennis legend expressed his love for playing in Australia, a place where he has enjoyed much of his greatest success. "I normally like to come to Australia to play. I’ve had the biggest success in my career here. So if I’m fit, healthy, and motivated, I don’t see a reason why I wouldn’t come," Djokovic said, but added, "But there’s always a chance, yeah."
Djokovic’s loss in the semi-finals also meant he missed out on a 100th career title and has now gone five Grand Slams without winning the title that would secure his place as the all-time leader, surpassing Margaret Court’s 24 major titles. His last Grand Slam win was at the 2023 US Open, leading to speculation about whether he will ever get past Court’s record.
Reflecting on his performance in the tournament, Djokovic expressed satisfaction with his game despite the injury. “I actually thought I played really well, as well as I played the last 12 months, to be honest,” he said. “I liked my chances if I was physically fit and ready to battle. I think I was striking the ball very well. A lot of positives to take in terms of how I played."
Djokovic also wished Zverev well in his pursuit of a Grand Slam title, saying, “I’ll be cheering for him.”
Zverev will face either world number one Jannik Sinner or American 21st seed Ben Shelton in Sunday’s final. While Zverev has been a Grand Slam runner-up twice, at the 2020 US Open and last year’s French Open, this will be his first Australian Open final.
Zverev, who had a tough exit from last year’s semi-finals against Daniil Medvedev, entered 2025 with a renewed sense of confidence after recovering from a serious ankle injury and finishing 2024 as the world number two.
The German player also addressed the crowd’s reaction to Djokovic’s retirement, calling for respect. “Novak Djokovic is somebody that has given to the sport for the past 20 years absolutely everything of his life,” Zverev said. “So please be respectful and really, really show some love for Novak as well.”
Djokovic’s injury concerns had been raised earlier in the tournament after he needed medical attention in his quarter-final victory over Carlos Alcaraz. However, he started strong, showing his usual speed and resilience during the match. The opening set featured an intense rally, with both players saving break points.
But it was Zverev who eventually clinched the first set in a tight tiebreak, after Djokovic netted a simple volley. Djokovic then shook hands with Zverev before retiring from the match.
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