Novak Djokovic may seem more human with his injuries, but his legacy is far from finished. After retiring from his Australian Open semifinal against Alexander Zverev due to a muscle tear, the Serb candidly said, “Injury is the biggest enemy of a professional athlete.” Even painkillers couldn’t carry him past the first set of the semifinals. Amid growing speculation and media narratives surrounding his injury, Djokovic’s former coach Boris Becker has stepped forward to address misleading reports, making his stance on the issue crystal clear.

From 2013 to 2016, Novak Djokovic and Boris Becker made a formidable team, securing 25 titles together, including six Grand Slam trophies and a historic French Open victory. Under Becker’s coaching, Djokovic also clinched 14 ATP Masters titles and reigned as world No.1 for 122 consecutive weeks. However, as Djokovic’s injury concerns became a focal point during this Australian Open, various experts speculated on his condition.

While Becker has previously spoken about Djokovic’s injury, he never tried to question its legitimacy. The German tennis legend clarified his position in response to a recent clickbait article that misrepresented his comments. He wrote on X, “I have never questioned the severity of @DjokerNole injury! Probably someone did wrong translation from German into English… Schatzi is family for me since 2013 !It’s all about the click-bait these days and not about facts! @AustralianOpen @Eurosport_DE.”

Becker has always praised Djokovic for his resilience on the biggest stages. However, when he offered advice to Alexander Zverev, urging the German to focus, and not get affected by Djokovic’s tactics, it raised a lot of eyebrows. “Novak has been through it all. No one has played more Grand Slam matches, no one has won more Grand Slams. He really has experienced everything you can experience on the tennis court. Sascha has to stick to his game and show his strengths – his serve, his baseline strokes and his fitness. He mustn’t let himself be put off his game, whatever his opponent does,” he told Eurosport (via MSN).

In the wake of his injury concerns, Djokovic didn’t just rely on words but presented undeniable proof to silence experts. This emphasized that his physical struggles were as real as the achievements he continues to chase.

Novak Djokovic’s Strong Response to ‘Sports Injury Experts’

During the Australian Open, tennis legends like John McEnroe and Boris Becker were accused of trivializing Djokovic’s physical condition, sparking backlash. At a press conference with Serbian media, Djokovic responded to Sportsklub saying, “Honestly, I haven’t read their comments in detail, but all I will say is that it is much easier to criticize and judge than to understand. That is the lesson of my life.”

To silence all the doubters, Djokovic even shared an MRI report of his muscle tear on social media. Along with posting the photo of his scan on X, he captioned, “Thought I’d leave this here for all the sports injury ‘experts’ out there.” We aren’t the medical experts, but it seemed the move highlighted the extent of his injury and showcased his frustration with the widespread skepticism. Djokovic is expected to play ATP 500 Qatar Open in Doha, Qatar from February 17-22.

Although Novak Djokovic failed to secure a slam during his latest attempt, this setback doesn’t mark the end of his illustrious career. In anything, it serves as a reminder that even legends like Djokovic are not immune to struggles of physical limitations. Still, his grit and determination to overcome injuries remain a testament to his greatness.