Novak Djokovic's recent retirement from his Australian Open semi-final match against Alexander Zverev due to injury has sparked discussions about the current state of his career. The match lasted just over an hour, with Djokovic struggling from the start after a taxing quarter-final. Despite previous dominance, the physicality that defines Djokovic's success has become increasingly challenged by age and injury. The crowd's mixed reactions highlight the ongoing tension in Djokovic's relationship with Australian fans, as speculation grows about whether he will return to the sport.
Judging by the scattered boos and jeers from the crowd as news filtered through that Djokovic was retiring with injury after the first set of his Australian Open semi-final on Friday, it seems there is still some way to go in that narrative arc.
Either way Djokovic and Australia remains an epic sporting two-hander. Albeit one that is shadowed now by some talk that this might be it, that Djokovic might not return for another instalment in this late-blooming coda to the career of arguably the greatest individual sports person the world has seen.
Djokovic’s entire career supremacy is based on extreme, unanswerable physicality, on pushing himself beyond the normal limits of twang and flex. Djokovic also needs to be able to walk at the end of all this.
Afterwards it was touching to hear Zverev talking like a dad at a wedding, calling for a little warmth and fellow-feeling for his opponent, and to hear the home crowd offer up affectionate applause in response.
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