Serbian tennis legend and 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic addressed skeptics questioning his injury by sharing an MRI scan on social media. The post, captioned, “Thought I’d leave this here for all the sports injury ‘experts’ out there,” was a sharp response to accusations that he feigned injury during his Australian Open semifinal match.
The 37-year-old retired from the match against Alexander Zverev after losing a grueling first set in a tiebreak. Despite his explanation of suffering a torn muscle, the decision sparked a wave of criticism and conspiracy theories about the authenticity of his injury—a recurring issue throughout his career.
Adding to the drama, Djokovic faced boos from the Melbourne crowd after withdrawing, a reaction he later addressed. “I am doing my best to understand them, but I’m not sure whether they understand me or even want to,” he said in his post-match press conference. “I know how my body works and what I feel, and I’ve given everything to this tournament over the past 20-plus years.”
Zverev, in his on-court interview, defended Djokovic, stating, “Novak Djokovic has given absolutely everything to this sport for the past 20 years. People need to understand that.” Djokovic had sustained the injury during his quarterfinal match against Carlos Alcaraz but managed to push through and win in four sets.
The scan post provided no further details about the diagnosis or Djokovic’s recovery timeline, leaving his return to action uncertain. Meanwhile, speculation also surrounds his newly formed coaching partnership with Andy Murray, as no updates have been shared about their plans following Djokovic’s withdrawal.
This incident reignites the debate over how sports injuries are perceived by fans, with Djokovic’s critics—and his unwavering determination—taking center stage once again.