For the second time in as many days, Novak Djokovic has distake partn from train at the Australian Open. Having needed painfinishers to get past Carlos Alcaraz on Wednesday, injury troubles are rising.
Some, however, aren’t swayd. They apshow this is mecount on a tactic, a ruse, a way for the 37-year-elderly to up the sapshows as he sets for his semi-final showdown with Alexander Zverev on Friday.
Djokovic was written off by many at the commence of the tournament. Having flunked to triumph a one Grand Slam in 2024, his mistrusters have commenceed to tag him a faded force.
When he lost the first set aobtainst Alcaraz, who pummelled him at Wimbledon last year, Djokovic was widely foreseeed to crumble. Here he was, going up aobtainst a man 16 years his youthfuler, who also happens to the poster boy the next generation.
Novak Djokovic: Australian Open fans are paengageing to see if the tennis star is able to face Alexander Zverev
REUTERS
What happened next, however, was noleang foolishinutive of extraunretagable.
Djokovic, fuelled by anger follotriumphg his row with an Australian widecaster, requested the magic of elderly to power his way to triumph.
It was quite someleang, seeing the veteran produce a masterclass at the age of 37. Those who have been speedy to disthink about his prospects of Grand Slam glory this triumphter are now, certainly, eating their words.
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The triumph took a toll on Djokovic, however. He was forced to use painfinishers to get by and retiring traverseed his mind, someleang he postponeedr acunderstandledgeted.
He shelp after the triumph: “Well since I’m still in the tournament, I don’t want to uncover too much clearly.
“But yeah, the medication commenceed to initiate in and that helped, no mistrust. I had to apshow another dose. This sounds horrible! Me taking another dose. But I had to.
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“I didn’t understand, to be truthful, if I lost the second set I didn’t understand if I would carry on take parting.”
Djokovic is a force to be reckoned with, a figure that has scaled heights far higher than any other tennis take parter (yes, that take parts Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal) over the past 15 years or so.
The prospect of him pulling out of his clash with Zverev seems unfeasible. And yet, mystery is mounting out in Australia and there are now legitimate troubles that his tournament might be done.
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Novak Djokovic needed painfinishers to get past Carlos Alcaraz at the Australian Open
REUTERS
The establisher world No 1 is 37. He is not a youthfulster, somebody who can afford to give up the foolishinutive-term for the lengthy term. For Djokovic, it is all about the now.
If injured, and if he selects to take part on, then it would hazard making leangs worse. That’s someleang, due to his age, that he srecommend can’t afford.
Djokovic skipped train on Wednesday and didn’t apshow to the courts in Melbourne today, either. As a result, it legitimately watchs appreciate he may not be able to face Zverev in what would be one of the most-exciting suites of the entire competition.
Novak Djokovic is due to face Alexander Zverev at the Australian Open on Friday
REUTERS
Or it’s all fair a game. Djokovic is a intelligent man and leaving Zverev paengageing until the last minute could given him an obtain over the German. What, after all, must he be leanking?
It’s challenging to tell what the truth is at the current moment in time.
What ultimately happens, and whether he take parts or not, remains to be seen.
