Australian Open
Opponent makes a hint: Explosive accusation against Djoković
01/22/2025 – 11:59 amReading time: 2 minutes
After more than three and a half hours, the Serb prevailed against Carlos Alcaraz in the top match. After the duel he talks about his opponent – and expresses doubts about his behavior.
It was a very tough fight – and the biggest highlight of this year’s Australian Open so far: Novak Djoković won the eagerly awaited top duel with Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinals 4:6, 6:4, 6:3, 6:4. The Serb beat the Spaniard in 3:37 hours – and was dramatic.
The “Djoker” had himself treated in the meantime and appeared to be badly injured, especially towards the end of the first set: when the score was 4:5, the 37-year-old took a medical break, was treated in the dressing room and came back with his left thigh bandaged Place. And then suddenly turned it up. After an initial struggle in the second set, Djoković got better and better into the game.
Alcaraz himself seemed repeatedly surprised during the following sets – and then expressed his suspicions: “I don’t want to say he put on a show, but in the second set it looked like he was having problems, and in the third and fourth I didn’t see anything.” So Alcaraz’s guess: Djoković could have only simulated his problems or at least exaggerated them.
The 24-time Grand Slam winner is well known throughout his career for going to extreme lengths when possible injuries occur – every now and then Djoković seemed defeated, only to then return to the match furiously and win in the end. Tennis legend and ESPN commentator John McEnroe said during the scenes in the quarterfinal match: “This is not the first time we’ve seen something like this. Don’t be fooled.”
McEnroe was right. Now Djoković will face the next top-class player in the semi-finals on Friday: Germany’s best tennis player Alexander Zverev.