Serena Williams’ ex-coach reveals ‘nightmare’ recovery timeline for Novak Djokovic after his muscular tear at the Australian Open
Novak Djokovic retired at the Australian Open 2025 semifinal match against Alexander Zverev due to a hamstring injury.
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Novak Djokovic and Rennae Stubbs (via X)
Rennae Stubbs and Andrea Petkovic discussed Novak Djokovic‘s injury at the Australian Open 2025, during the Rennae Stubbs Tennis podcast, in an episode titled ‘The Day After a Slam’. Throughout the Australian Open 2025, Djokovic faced health issues, leading to medical timeouts in several matches.
He took a medical timeout in his third round match against Tomas Machac as he faced breathing difficulties. He again took a medical timeout in the first set of his quarterfinal match against Carlos Alcaraz. The most serious moment was however at the semifinals when the Serbian had to retire after the first set of his match against Alexander Zverev, due to a hamstring injury.
He showed the scan, the tear in his hamstring, that’s a nightmare. That is minimally six weeks, minimally. I would say two months, minimally. Well then again, he’ll get in his hyperbaric chamber maybe.
Rennae Stubbs via The Rennae Stubbs Tennis Podcast
In the podcast, they discussed the expected recovery time for Novak Djokovic’s “nightmare” injury, with estimates suggesting he might be out for at least six weeks to two months. This forecast raises questions about the 37-year-old’s participation in upcoming tournaments, including the Davis Cup tie against Denmark, as well as events in Dubai, Doha, Indian Wells, and Miami.
Djokovic was aiming for his 11th Australian Open title and also an unprecedented 25th Grand Slam title at the Australian Open 2025. His recent partnership with former rival turned coach Andy Murray also proved fairly successful as he made it to the semifinals, delivering incredible performances in his prior rounds, especially at the quarterfinals where he outplayed Carlos Alcaraz in his prime, which Djokovic described as a match worthy of being considered a final in terms of the quality.
Andrea Petkovic discusses the seriousness of Novak Djokovic’s injury
Andrea Petkovic discussed the medical imaging of Djokovic’s injury. The MRI showed fluid accumulation in the affected area, indicating its severity. She emphasized how an injury of this nature typically requires substantial recovery time and care.
The hosts also reflected on the emotional weight of Djokovic’s situation, particularly the crowd’s unkind reaction as he exited the semifinal match. They noted that the boos directed at him after he left the court were inappropriate and disrespectful, especially considering his caliber as one of the sport’s all-time greats.
Honestly, I had unfortunately a lot of MRI pictures to look at and when you can see it that obviously that much liquid in the thing… I am not a medical person at all, but I know, I have seen enough of them that when you have a big white blot that is this big, you are f***ed basically. The thing is, Novak, he is getting older, but he is different in terms of recovery. I always say that, and this is really important, if you start to do all these things Novak does tomorrow, you are not going to get the same effects. But since he was 17, he has been drinking green juices and doing yoga and doing his breathing exercises and meditation. But he has been doing this for 20 years. That’s why his body is in the shape that he can even play like this.
Andrea Petkovic via The Rennae Stubbs Tennis Podcast
They remarked how Djokovic had won the Australian Open title before with injuries, especially the 2021 triumph which he secured despite suffering an abdominal muscle tear, and the 2023 title which he won despite a hamstring injury. The hosts reiterated the importance of a supportive environment, especially when an athlete is dealing with injuries or other personal challenges.
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Lakshya Chopra
(2614 Articles Published)