MELBOURNE — Novak Djokovic’s quest for a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title ended in disappointment on Friday as the 37-year-old retired injured after losing a grueling first set to Alexander Zverev in their Australian Open semifinal.
Djokovic, whose left leg was heavily taped following an injury sustained in the quarterfinals, called it quits after dropping the set 7-6 (7/5). The Serbian great departed Rod Laver Arena to a mixed reaction of boos and applause, while Zverev advanced to his first Australian Open final.
The defeat prolongs Djokovic’s Grand Slam drought to five tournaments, leaving him tied with Margaret Court at 24 major titles. His last triumph came at the 2023 US Open, and he failed to win a Grand Slam in 2024 for the first time in seven years. The loss also denied him a chance to claim his 100th career title, a milestone reached only by Roger Federer (102).
Zverev will face either world No. 1 Jannik Sinner or American Ben Shelton in Sunday’s final. The German, a two-time Grand Slam runner-up, is chasing his maiden major title after falling short in the 2020 US Open and last year’s French Open finals.
Zverev entered the season with renewed momentum, finishing 2024 as world No. 2 and regaining top form after a severe ankle injury. His semifinal victory comes a year after losing a five-set thriller at the same stage to Daniil Medvedev.
Djokovic’s fitness was a concern heading into the clash after he required medical attention during his quarterfinal win over Carlos Alcaraz. Despite his history of remarkable recoveries, the injury ultimately proved too much.
The first set was a tense battle, with both players saving multiple break points and trading momentum. Djokovic struggled with his serve, landing less than 50 percent of his first serves, but kept the match competitive until the tiebreak. After losing the set, he retired, leaving Zverev to celebrate his breakthrough in Melbourne.