In the end, Novak Djokovic’s worst fears were realized at the recently concluded Australian Open. Despite giving it his all to reach the semifinals, the 24-time Grand Slam champion was forced to withdraw due to an untimely injury, cutting his campaign short. At 37, competing at the highest level, let alone securing another Grand Slam title, becomes increasingly difficult. While the Serbian juggernaut continues to battle for more success, American tennis legend Jimmy Connors raised concerns about the Serb’s future.

Following Djokovic’s withdrawal, speculation began swirling about his retirement, with many figures in the tennis world weighing in on whether he should hang up his racquet or push on. Among those offering their perspective was Connors, who, during a recent episode of the Advantage Connors podcast, made a concerning remark about Djokovic’s future in the sport.

Connors revealed, “He had a tough draw, he had to play Alcaraz, play Zverev, and play Sinner. That’s what happens when you are not in the top 2 or 3. Everybody thinks I can play forever, and you can, it just depends on the level that you want to play at, and the older you get, those long matches, where you have to run down, that starts wearing on you, you know, physically and mentally. There’s one guy that you can never beat, that’s always going to come out on top, and that’s age.”

Moreover, injury issues haven’t been alien to Djokovic of late. Last year, he also had to pull out of the French Open midway owing to his knee injury. Subsequently, he underwent surgery to repair the damage done and made a swift comeback at the Wimbledon Championships. The Serb went on to reach the final at Wimbledon, signaling how he is no stranger to making a strong comeback after his injuries. Thus, Nole would like history to repeat itself and hope for a strong comeback in the upcoming tournaments.

Further, Djokovic didn’t receive the best reception after pulling out of the Australian Open. He was booed off the court after withdrawing midway through his match against Alexander Zverev. Additionally, many tennis bigwigs also questioned the nature and seriousness of Djokovic’s injury. One among them was Rafael Nadal’s uncle, Toni.

Toni Nadal makes a cryptic statement on the injury of Novak Djokovic

While the pain was difficult for Djokovic to bear in the semifinal, the Serb felt the first sign of an injury during his quarterfinal match against Carlos Alcaraz. The Serb even took a medical timeout after losing the first set but came back strongly to win the contest. As a result, Toni Nadal highlighted this situation to question Djokovic’s injury claims.

He said, “On this occasion, suspicions began to arise in his quarter-final match against Carlos Alcaraz. After losing the first set and with obvious signs of pain, the Serbian gave his opponent and the public in general to understand that he would hardly be able to continue his match. But the reality was that not only did he face the rest of the match with total normality, but he ended up winning it.”

Nonetheless, Djokovic silenced his critics by sharing his MRI scan via his official X handle. The report clearly showed that he had a muscle tear, which resulted in unbearable pain for the former World No.1. While the Serb is recovering from his injury, it is still unclear when he will return back to the court. What are your predictions for Djokovic’s future? Tell us in the comment section below!