Novak Djokovic withdraws from Australian Open semi-finals: Zverev flies to final

Melbourne, 24 January 2024 - Novak Djokovic withdraws from the Australian Open semi-final after 80 minutes of play: “I knew it was going to be a great battle for me.” The day of the Grand Slam in Melbourne begins with a twist. The German Alex Zverev wins the partial 7-6 (7-5) after 1h21' of battle and goes straight to the final: on Sunday he will play against the winner of the match between Jannik Sinner and Ben Shelto

Djokovic's injury

The Serbian's abandonment came after losing the first set tie-break. The 37-year-old Serbian - who took to the field with the injured left thigh in the fourth against Alcaraz - throws in the towel at the end of the first interminable set. Djokovic himself had declared that he was “worried” about his injury, which he described as similar to one he suffered to his hamstrings at the 2023 Australian Open.

Novak Djokovic in press conference after withdrawing from Australian Open

Boos from the crowd, Zverev's support

Booed by the crowd at Rod Laver Arena, he received the Zverev's support, who asked the spectators to stop 'sinking' him. The two players engaged in an intense battle that lasted 1 hour and 20 minutes, with the Serb managing to save five break points on his serve to push his opponent into a tiebreak. With Zverev up 6/5, Djokovic volleyed the ball into the net to give his opponent the first set.

After sending a volley into the net On set point, seventh seed Djokovic immediately approached Zverev and gave him shook hands after 80 minutes of play. He waved to the crowd and gave a double thumbs up, despite boos from some sections of Rod Laver Arena. “I knew that even if I won the first set, it would be a big fight for me “stay physically fit enough to stay with him in rallies for two, three, four hours,” Djokovic added. “I don’t think I have that stamina today,” he concluded.

The big challenge: today we decide who will play with Zverev 

German Zverev will therefore have a Sunday third chance to win a title of the Grand Slam, after losing the finals of the 2020 US Open and the 2024 Roland Garros. He had not never beaten Djokovic in a slam. Zverev's opponent it will be decided this morning, with the challenge between the world number 1 Jannik Sinner and the American Ben Shelton (n.20).

Andrea De Marchi at the Australian Open Junior

The last Italian player competing in the competition also left the scene Australian Open Junior, the first youth Slam that is approaching its final stages on the hard courts of Melbourne Park. It is about Andrea De Marchi, eliminated in the doubles semi-finals.

The 18-year-old Roman (number 16 in the junior singles ranking) and the Swede William Reichsmann Vinciguerra, seventh seeds, lost 63 67(2) 10-8, in an hour and twenty minutes of play, to the American Maxwell Exsted and the Czech Jan Kumstat, second seed favourites.