In a significant turn of events at the Australian Open, Novak Djokovic retired from his semifinal match against Alexander Zverev due to a torn muscle in his left leg. The injury, sustained during his quarterfinal victory over Carlos Alcaraz, forced Djokovic to withdraw after losing the first set in a tiebreak.
As Djokovic exited the court, he was met with boos from some spectators. Zverev addressed the crowd, urging them to show respect for Djokovic’s contributions to tennis over the past two decades.
This marks the second time Djokovic has retired from a Grand Slam match due to injury, the previous instance being at the 2019 US Open. His withdrawal advances Zverev to his first Australian Open final, where he will face defending champion Jannik Sinner.
Djokovic’s retirement has led to discussions about the physical demands on players and the reactions of fans during such circumstances.
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