"Sick to have forced this moment" - Fans accuse John McEnroe of provoking Novak Djokovic after Serb's revelation about publicizing injury scan

On Friday, February 14, Novak Djokovic revealed that he had only posted the MRI scan of the right hamstring tear he suffered at the end of his Australian Open campaign on social media due to the insinuations made by John McEnroe about the injury. The American legend has since come in for criticism from the tennis community on social media.

Djokovic enjoyed a good outing in Melbourne in the first week. However, he picked up an injury in his right leg during his quarterfinal victory against Carlos Alcaraz. The 24-time Major winner was then forced to retire against his last-four opponent Alexander Zverev after losing the opening set in a tiebreaker.

Novak Djokovic took to his social media handle a few days later, posting an MRI scan of his right hamstring tear with a rather cryptic caption:

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

On Friday, the Serb revealed that he only posted his MRI to shut down "legends of the sport with a multi-million audience".

"I think that when some things remain on social media, that's fine, but when it escalates to the point where people have a dilemma and simply question my integrity and the credibility of what I said," Novak Djokovic told Tennis Majors on Friday. "Especially when it comes from some people who are really legends of the sport and who have a multi-million audience that listens to them when they broadcast the matches, then I felt the need to react, to show the recording from the MRI."

This remark was seemingly aimed at eight-time Major winner and commentator John McEnroe. The 65-year-old had claimed on-air for ESPN that Djokovic's quarterfinal match "wasn't the first time" that the Serb had appeared to struggle with physical niggles before eventually eking out the win.

Against that background, several tennis fans criticized McEnroe on X. One fan insisted that the American legend should have thought better before making such comments.

"You are sick to have forced this moment - for once rethink the impact of your words, even on those whose shadow you cannot touch — and who graciously respond for the good of the sport. Amen," they wrote on X.

Another fan, meanwhile, asserted that an apology was due from the ESPN commentator.

"McEnroe should apologize," they wrote.

Here are a few more reactions from social media on the matter:

"False accusations from legends can’t be ignored," a fan wrote.

"That John McEnroe's reaction and comment was as embarrassing as it was shameful," another claimed.

"I find this very sad. John was always one of his biggest defenders in past years," one fan wrote.

"Novak doesn't seem too upset about it but probably felt like he needed to say something," another insisted.

"Did McEnroe offer any retraction or apology?" one fan asked.

"I think there is a jealousy mixed with admiration. It is understandable with Johnny Mac," a fan claimed.

"McEnroe is an idiot. He's American, you cannot ask too much of him," another insinuated.

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Novak Djokovic to next play at Qatar Open 2025

Novak Djokovic is a two-time champion in Doha (Source: Getty Images)

Experts like Rennae Stubbs had forecasted Novak Djokovic to be out of action for around two months due to his injury. But the 37-year-old entered the 2025 Qatar Open in Doha, which begins next week.

The 24-time Major winner has been successful at the ATP 250 tournament. He completed a two-peat in Doha in 2016-17, downing Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray in the respective title matches.