Alexander Zverev reached his first Australian Open final after Novak Djokovic retired one set into their semifinal on Rod Laver Arena. The tightly contested opener, lasting 81 minutes, ended 7-6 (5) in Zverev’s favor. Strapped to his injured thigh, Djokovic looked visibly strained before unexpectedly shaking hands with Zverev and retiring. The retirement stunned the Melbourne crowd, prompting boos and scattered applause as Djokovic exited. Criticism quickly surfaced, questioning why the 37-year-old didn’t consult medical staff or take more time to reconsider. Amid this criticism, Zverev, the man thrust into the spotlight, was quick to come to Djokovic’s defense.

In his post-match press conference, Zverev was asked about Novak Djokovic’s “abrupt” retirement from the match and if he had handled the situation “differently”. “No, because Novak knows his body better than anyone else. It’s as simple as that,” Zverev responded.

“And also what’s a doctor gonna do? I know from people on his team because I talked to his team after the match. He was already on painkillers, you know, and he knows that it’s an injury he’s had before. So, okay, he’s going to call a doctor to tell him what? To take more pills? I mean, at some point, there’s a limit also on how much you can take,” the three time grand slam finalist added.

Zverev also reminded everyone of Djokovic’s achievement: “Novak has done absolutely everything he could on the tennis court in the last 20 years…He’s won this tournament with an abdominal tear, where most players can’t even continue playing. He’s won this tournament with a hamstring tear. You know, he’s a 10-time champion.”

Finally, Zverev called for an end to the criticism. “I think we should all just respect that, in a way, because there’s nobody in this sport’s history who has done as much as him.”

Novak Djokovic injury stemmed from playing a quarterfinal match against Carlos Alcaraz. Sustaining left hamstring injury (muscle tear), the Serbian had skipped practices since Tuesday, instead relying on physio work and painkillers to manage the injury. “I did everything I possibly can,” Djokovic said post match.

Alexander Zverev suffered heartbreak at a similar stage at the clay courts of Roland Garros. Zverev’s bid for a maiden Grand Slam final was cut short by a horrific-looking ankle injury during his semifinals clash with Rafael Nadal. Score read 7-6, 6-6. Then the moment, a haunting twist of fate, came as Zverev chased a ball in the second set, tumbling to the ground in agony.

Then the 25-year-old German’s groan echoed at Court Philippe Chatrier as trainers rushed to his side. Nadal, then celebrating his 36th birthday, crossed the net to offer comfort. Minutes later, Zverev was wheeled off the court, his black kit stained with the tournament’s iconic red clay, and then rose from crutches to announce his retirement. He shared a heartfelt embrace with Nadal, who advanced to his 14th Roland Garros final.

While Alexander Zverev may have shed light on Novak Djokovic’s struggles, the German faces a battle of his own. With his sights set on a first Grand Slam title, Zverev braces for an intense showdown against Jannik Sinner.

Alexander Zverev faces Jannik Sinner for his first Grand Slam title

Alexander Zverev, aiming for his first Grand Slam title after heartbreaks in previous finals, is ready for a third major final at the 2025 Australian Open. Following his heartbreaking 2020 US Open loss to Dominic Thiem, Zverev rebounded with a strong clay court season in 2024 but ultimately fell to Carlos Alcaraz in the French Open final. But his third bid for a Grand Slam isn’t easy either.

He faces Jannik Sinner, the defending champion who overcame cramping to beat Ben Shelton 7-6 (2), 6-2, 6-2 in the semifinals. This will be the seventh meeting of both players with the head-to-head record favoring the German, 4-2. With the story on hardcourt reflecting a similar trend: Zverev led 3-1.

“Grand Slam finals are always difficult—it’s the two best players in the world on that court. I’ve lost twice in a fifth set, once in a fifth-set tiebreaker at the US Open, so I’ve had my tough losses. I feel like maybe it’s time for me to have some luck in a Grand Slam final’, German reflected on the impending final clash in his post-match on-court interview.

Sinner had his own thoughts. The Italian said: “We had some very tough matches in the past,” said Sinner of Zverev. “Everything can happen. He’s an incredible player. He’s looking for his first major. There’s going to be, again, a lot of tension.”

Time will tell if Alexander Zverev gets his first major or Sinner closes out on his third slam, 2nd consecutive at hard-courts of Melbourne. But the fireworks are guaranteed!