Novak Djokovic simply cannot shake the controversies around him. The Serbian tennis legend has faced yet another storm of doubt and criticism after his retirement at Melbourne Park. Djokovic sustained a hamstring injury during his quarterfinal clash against Carlos Alcaraz. He fought from adversity and came back from a set down to win in four sets. However, during his semifinal match against Alexander Zverev, the injury became too much to bear. Rafael Nadal’s uncle and long-time coach stepped in to share his perspective on the matter.

The 10-time Australian Open winner retired after losing a grueling first-set tiebreaker, leaving the Rod Laver Arena paying upwards of $400 per ticket and getting booed by the crowd. Later, some critics questioned the authenticity of his injury. Tennis legend John McEnroe even commented controversially, saying, “This isn’t the first time we’ve seen this routine. Don’t be fooled.” In response, Djokovic fired back at ‘experts’ by posting an MRI scan confirming a hamstring tear in his left leg.

Rafael Nadal’s Uncle and ex-coach Toni Nadal also weighed in with expected skepticism about the severity of the injury, but also sympathetic towards the harsh reaction Djokovic got from the crowd. Toni defended the Serbian and addressed the situation. An Instagram page tsh. tennis posted the words Toni Nadal wrote in his column for El Pais. He said, “I believe that a great champion like the Serbian, someone who has contributed to writing the most glorious pages of tennis history, should not depart in this manner from any court and even less so from the Rod Laver Arena, where he holds the records for victories and titles.”

Having coached Rafael Nadal for nearly 30 years, Toni oversaw countless historic wins. They included ten Roland Garros titles, an Australian Open title, and three US Open victories. His deep understanding of tennis and other champions added weight to his empathetic remarks. Toni further elaborated, “Respect, this is my personal feeling, he truly deserves in that difficult moment, without a doubt, of having to leave the court that has seen him triumph so many times.”

He highlighted Novak Djokovic’s past achievements and acknowledged his mental toughness and what toll it takes to face disrespect. “I can only imagine how hard it must have been for him to have to accept such an adverse reaction from the public,” he concluded.

Djokovic’s retirement in the semifinal marked the 7th time, that he has withdrawn from a Grand Slam match due to illness or injury. His reputation for contradictory injuries dates back to the earlier days of his career. There have been times when frequent medical timeouts and retirements fueled the speculation about the authenticity of his ailments.

Toni Nadal’s ‘growing suspicion’ against Novak Djokovic

The journey of the Serbian ace at Melbourne Park came to an abrupt end as he pursued his 11th Australian Open title. After a tough one-hour and 21-minute first set against Zverev, Djokovic decided he could no longer play through the pain. Reflecting on this incident in the El Pais column, Toni Nadal offered his perspective on the injury. “When a player faces physical problems in a match of this nature, he normally waits until the end to decide to retire,” Toni wrote.

However, he didn’t shy away from addressing the elephant in the room, which was growing skepticism around Djokovic. He wrote, “The second and perhaps most significant reason is that over the years, there has been a growing suspicion around Novak, due to his expressions or histrionics, casting doubt on the authenticity of his injuries.” As questions about Djokovic’s future started to linger, he still, desired to continue competing.

Toni Nadal’s reflections on Djokovic serve as both a defense and critique, revealing the complicated relationship between the Serbian star, his injuries, and the public’s perception of his authenticity. The tennis world watches closely to see how the tennis legend rebounds from this situation.