Novak Djokovic publishes proof of his injury in hostile message to critics after controversial Australian Open exit

Novak Djokovic responded to critics by sharing an update on the injury that forced him to retire mid-match during his 2025 Australian Open semifinal against Alexander Zverev. Many had accused him of faking the injury.

Djokovic was chasing his 25th Major title in Melbourne, aiming to surpass Margaret Court's record. While not the favorite to win initially, he started strong, defeating Nishesh Basavareddy, Jaime Faria, Tomas Machac, Jiri Lehecka, and Carlos Alcaraz to reach the semifinals, where he faced Zverev.

After losing the first set 6-7(5) to the German, the former World No. 1 experienced worsening pain in his leg and retired, completely drained. He had already raised concerns during his match against Carlos Alcaraz, where he took an extended medical timeout, and the injury ultimately became a hurdle he couldn't overcome.

Later, Novak Djokovic took to X (formerly Twitter) to share an update, posting a picture of an MRI scan of his left hamstring. In the caption, he wrote:

"Thought I’d leave this here for all the sports injury “experts” out there."

John McEnroe among those who questioned Novak Djokovic's Australian Open injury situation

Novak Djokovic pictured at the 2025 Australian Open | Image Source: Getty

During the 2025 Australian Open quarterfinals against Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic took a lengthy medical timeout, which led to backlash from John McEnroe. The American, who was commentating for ESPN alongside his brother Patrick, remarked on air that it was one of the Serb's oldest tricks in the book.

"This isn’t the first time we’ve seen this routine. Don’t be fooled," McEnroe said.

At a press conference later, Djokovic addressed McEnroe's accusations, stating that he couldn't comment much on the situation since he hadn't heard the remarks yet. He added that it's easier to criticize than to truly understand a situation.

"To be honest, I haven’t seen these comments, so I can’t say more. What I can say is that it’s always easier to judge and criticize than to understand. It’s a lesson I’ve learned in life.”

Interestingly, McEnroe defended Djokovic when he was booed off the court after retiring injured from his semifinal match against Alexander Zverev. The American stated that the Serb, as a 10-time champion, didn't deserve to be treated that way.

"They can’t possibly be booing him. Please! He’s won this 10 times. I mean, come on. I mean, clearly something was up," the seven-time Grand Slam winner told Channel 9.