Martina Navratilova ‘really upset’ about crowd booing an injured Novak Djokovic after Australian Open exit as it’s ‘disgusting’
The Australian Open crowd booed Novak Djokovic after he pulled out of the semifinal match against Alexander Zverev.
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Novak Djokovic, Martina Navratilova (Images via X)
Novak Djokovic succumbed to injury during the semifinal match he played against Alexander Zverev at the 2025 Australian Open. Following the match, Martina Navratilova expressed her shock about his mid-match retirement and also censured the crowd inside the Rod Laver Arena who were booing him.
Navratilova, while talking about Djokovic’s struggles due to injuries, recalled the time when he tore his meniscus during the 2024 French Open, which forced him to withdraw from the quarterfinals against Casper Ruud. He underwent surgery following which he reached the Wimbledon final.
Exactly I mean the fact that he could come back I did not see that coming. I had the same knee injury and it takes a while to get over that one. But you know again that’s diminishing returns, isn’t it? Only one final out of the last five Majors when he won three out of four the year.
Martina Navratilova said via Tennis Channel
Djokovic, in the semifinal, played just one set which was pushed into a tie-breaker. He lost it and then called off the match. When he was walking out of the court, a section of the crowd started to boo him.
But you know what I’m really upset about is the crowd booing. Seriously, nobody wanted to finish that much more than Novak. And then they boo…I mean seriously, it’s disgusting anyway.
Martina Navratilova added
Djokovic first suffered the injury during his quarterfinal match against Carlos Alcaraz. But after taking a medical timeout, he lost the first set but won the next three to beat the 21-year-old Spaniard. In the press conference after the semifinal, the Serb then declared that he was unsure whether his body would allow him to come back to Melbourne Park next year.
Mats Wilander thinks Novak Djokovic will be a danger in the next three majors of 2025
Novak Djokovic struggled a bit against two unseeded opponents in the first and second rounds. After beating Tomas Machac and Jiri Lehecka, he scheduled the quarterfinal match against Carlos Alcaraz. Mats Wilander lauded Djokovic for playing a high level of tennis and predicted that he would be a danger in the next three majors this season.
I think he will definitely come back and manage his schedule and probably only play 10 or 11 events. He is playing great, so I would be very surprised if he is not going to be threatening in the other three Slams and especially at Wimbledon as well.
Mats Wilander told Eurosport
Djokovic last lifted a Major at the 2023 US Open and the same year, he would have completed the Calender Grand Slam had not Alcaraz beat him in the Wimbledon final. The 24-time Grand Slam champion will not be representing Serbia in the Davis Cup but is expected to play in the Qatar Open in February.
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