“Unfortunate ending, but I tried” – the 10-time AO champion, Novak Djokovic’s dream of winning his 25th Grand Slam title at one of his favorite tournaments came to an abrupt ending on Friday. He was forced to retire from his SF match against Alexander Zverev due to a muscle tear. Zverev didn’t have to put in any more effort after securing a tight first set by a 7-6 (5) margin. Just like Zverev, even the fans inside the Rod Laver Arena would’ve wanted this match to last a little longer. Despite a bit of disappointment, Alexander Zverev was seen showcasing his respect for the Serb. However, the crowd didn’t look too pleased with Djokovic’s withdrawal.

How did the tennis world react to the bizarre gesture shown by the Aussie crowd towards one of the most successful players in this tournament? Well, tennis bigwigs like Brad Gilbert and John Millman were among the first ones to raise their voices condemning the AO crowd for booing Novak Djokovic. Well, jeers and booing aren’t something new for Djokovic, we often see him face the same wherever he plays, but doing that after seeing a player get injured is what the experts find “shocking.”

Struggling with a muscle tear in his upper left leg, Novak Djokovic pushed Alexander Zverev throughout the one-hour and 21-minute opening set. However, Melbourne’s heat along with severe discomfort worsened the situation for the Serb. After the final call, when Novak Djokovic was leaving the court, fans began to boo him. How did he respond to that, though? Well, he responded to them simply with a thumbs up. After seeing all these scenes in Melbourne, John Millman said, “I just think it’s a bit of a shambles. Some of the behavior has crossed the line and that one takes the cake for me.”

The former Aussie tennis player further said, “I mean this is a guy that’s won it ten times, have some respect. He’s one of the all-time greats, if not the greatest to play. He’s definitely the greatest to play on this court. I don’t care how much you’ve spent on your ticket. Have some respect.” What did Coco Gauff’s former coach, Brad Gilbert say on this though?

Gilbert recently shared a tweet on this in which he wrote, “I was beyond shocked 😳 a few were booing Djoker, good 👍 for Zverev for speaking 🗣️ up absolutely 💯 no reason for that to have happened.” Amid all these Novak Djokovic dropped yet another bombshell about his tennis career! Following this disappointing exit from the 2025 AO, he gave a hint of a possible retirement at the end of the 2025 season!

The Serb said, “I don’t know if there is a chance. Who knows? I’ll just have to see how the season goes and you know 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.” He further mentioned, “I normally like to come to Australia and play. I’ve had the biggest success in my career here. So if I’m fit, healthy, motivated I don’t see a reason why I wouldn’t come, you know. But there’s always a chance.” So, this statement is more like a double disappointment for all tennis lovers! What did his opponent, Alexander Zverev say about Novak Djokovic following this abrupt ending to this high-octane clash?

“Please don’t boo” – Alexander Zverev asked to Melbourne crowd to show some respect for Novak Djokovic

This was their thirteenth meeting on the Tour. Alexander Zverev entered this year following his impressive performance in the 2024 season. On the other hand, Novak Djokovic looked quite hungry to win his first major title after almost twelve months. He had to play three four-setters on his way to the semis and perhaps it took a heavy toll on his body. After seeing him bringing an early ending to this mega SF clash, fans couldn’t hold their frustration for the same.

Seeing their jeers and boos inside the Rod Laver Arena, Alexander Zverev was seen addressing the crowd during the on-court interview. He said, “The very first thing I want to say is please don’t boo when a player is injured. I know everyone paid for tickets but Novak Djokovic is someone who has given everything to the sport. He has won this title with an abdominal injury, he has won this title with a hamstring injury. If he cannot continue a tennis match, he really cannot continue a tennis match.” Alexander Zverev was also seen hailing the Serb by saying, “There’s no guy on the tour I respect more than Novak.”

Not only John Millman, Brad Gilbert, and Alexander Zverev but also Novak Djokovic’s close friend, Nick Kyrgios was seen quite disappointed with what transpired after the match. He recently shared a tweet praising John Millman for his honest take on the Serb getting booed by the Aussie crowd. “John milkman. This is what reporting looks like,” Kyrgios tweeted.

What are your thoughts on this bizarre gesture shown by the Aussie crowd towards the 10-time AO champion? Share your thoughts in the comment section.