Novak Djokovic to tug out of Australian Open semifinal vs Zverev? Serb units off alarm bells, misses coaching once more

Related

Share

Novak Djokovic set off alarm bells forward of his Australian Open semifinal match in opposition to Alexander Zverev at Rod Laver Area on Friday. The Serb skipped coaching for the second day in a row since his quarterfinal win in opposition to Carlos Alcaraz. He didn’t practice on Wednesday and reportedly spent his time together with his physiotherapist.

Serbia’s Novak Djokovic attends a press convention following his victory in opposition to Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz of their males’s singles quarterfinal match on day ten of the Australian Open tennis match in Melbourne early on January 22

Djokovic suffered from an harm through the match in opposition to Alcaraz on Tuesday. At 4-5 down within the opening set, he had left the court docket, taking a medical timeout and returned with a closely strapped higher left thigh. He did bounce again within the match after shedding the primary set, with the painkillers kicking in as he beat the Spaniard 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4.

In line with a report in Marca, he skipped his coaching on Thursday, which was scheduled for the afternoon and spent his time in restoration, together with his physiotherapist Miljan Amanovic. It’s but to be seen if Djokovic will get well in time for the match in opposition to Zverev.

Notably, the 37-year-old had suffered an harm through the 2023 version of the match. He had claimed to have had a 3cm tear in his left hamstring and wore a heavy strapping in each match en path to his win in opposition to Stefanos Tsitsipas within the remaining to say his tenth Australian Open title.

“When I went into my box, I just think emotionally collapsed there and teared up with especially my mother and my brother when I gave them a hug, because up to that moment I was not allowing myself to, I guess, be distracted with things off the court or whatever was happening in dealing with an injury, things happening off the court, as well, that could easily have been a big disturbance to my focus and to my game,” Djokovic mentioned.

“It required an enormous mental energy really to stay present, to stay focused, to take things day by day, and really see how far I can go. Yeah, was a huge relief and release of the emotions in the end. Just difficult to find any additional words really. It’s been a long journey, but very special one.”

Djokovic now stands two wins away from an unprecedented twenty fifth main in his profession and a record-extending eleventh trophy in Melbourne.