By Richard Pagliaro | @TennisNow | Friday, January 24, 2025
Photo credit: Clive Brunskill/Getty
Jannik Sinner didn’t see Novak Djokovic’s injury-induced retirement from the Australian Open semifinals.
The world No.1 will realize its impact in Sunday’s final.
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Defending AO champion Sinner rides a career-best 20-match winning streak into Sunday’s final against Alexander Zverev, who led Djokovic 7-6(5), then the Serbian superstar retired with a torn muscle.
Playing for his third consecutive hard-court major, Sinner said Djokovic’s retirement makes one thing very clear: He has big issues.
“I was warming up. I didn’t see it live,” Sinner said of Djokovic’s retirement. “I saw after how it happened. It’s very unfortunate to see these kind of things, especially in semifinals of Grand Slams.
“But if Novak retires, means that he has big issues. He has won here in the past with some physical problems, and he always tried to do his best. He gave so much until now in his career for this sport.
“It’s unfortunate to see. I wish him a speedy recovery.”
