"Hope that wasn’t Novak Djokovic’s last memory at Australian Open" - Tennis insider slams 'ungracious' response to Serb's injury

Tennis insider Jon Wertheim criticized the Melbourne crowd for disrespecting Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open. He highlighted issues with the crowd and expressed his disappointment that the Serb had to present a medical report to prove his physical condition.

The controversy erupted on Friday, January 24, when Djokovic abruptly withdrew from the 2025 Australian Open. The ATP star seemingly struggled with his upper leg during his semifinal clash against Alexander Zverev. He decided to prioritize his physical well-being and walked out of the court right after the first set. Amid this, the crowd treated him with booing and heckling.

Sports Illustrated conducted a Mailbag session following the first major event of the season. An anonymous user highlighted the incident in which Djokovic had to post a medical report for his injured leg. In response, Wertheim expressed concerns over the Serb's comeback in Melbourne.

"For the booing, it was disgraceful. Who boos an injured athlete—never mind a 10-time champion at the event. (What? Do you think he was faking? Do you think he—age 37, with his family there, and a new coach—didn’t want to compete?) You just hope that wasn’t Djokovic’s last match and memory at the Australian Open," he wrote.

The insider also mentioned how the Serb should not have been bothered by the crowd's behavior.

"It’s a pity that it seems this ungracious crowd response affected Djokovic. This was wildly out of bounds," he added.

Nole's report clearly suggests that he will take some time off from competition for a few weeks. Amid this, a comeback update is still awaited from the Serbian star.

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Novak Djokovic withdraws from Team Serbia for the Davis Cup

Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open 2025 Press Conference- Source: Getty

Novak Djokovic recently announced his withdrawal from the Davis Cup after sustaining an injury at the Australian Open. Despite a strong will to represent his country, he made the tough decision to prioritize his recovery.

The Serb shared a detailed statement, apologizing to home fans who were hoping to see him lead the squad. He also expressed concerns over being excessively prone to injuries in the last few months.

"It's not like I'm worrying about approaching every Grand Slam now whether I'm going to get injured or not, but statistics are against me in a way in the last couple of years. So it is true that (I am) getting injured quite a bit the last few years. I don't know what exactly is the reason for that. Maybe several different factors. But I'll keep going. You know, I'll keep striving to win more Slams. And as long as I feel that I want to put up with all of this, I'll be around," he said, in a press conference follwing the semifinal against Zverev.

Scheduled to begin on January 31, Team Serbia has still decided to hold their ground and therefore is planning to improvise with the best.