World Reacts to Djoker’s ‘Absurd’ Win Amid Injury Concerns for 25th Slam

Djokovic miraculously defeats Alcaraz | 03:11

Twenty-four-time Grand Slam winner and 10-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic is closing in on more history after downing budding rival Carlos Alcaraz at Rod Laver Arena, 4-6 6-4 6-3 6-4. But, not without a massive injury scare.

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On Tuesday night, Alcaraz couldn’t become the third-ever player to defeat Djokovic three consecutive times in Grand Slam matches, with the 37-year-old instead progressing to a semi-final meeting with two-seed German star Alexander Zverev.

It wasn’t without worry, however, as Djokovic required a medical timeout just 47 minutes into the match due to a suspected groin injury — but he wouldn’t comment on the specificity of the injury.

“Since I’m still in the tournament, I don’t want to reveal too much,” Djokovic began in his on-court post-match interview.

“But, the medication started to kick in and it helped, no doubt. I had to take another dose … I had to. I didn’t know. To be honest, if I’d lost that second set, I don’t know if I would have continued playing.

“But I felt better and better, and I managed to play a great couple of games to end up (winning) the second set … I started to feel better and started to move better.

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Serbia’s Novak Djokovic attends a press conference following his victory against Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz in their men’s singles quarterfinal match on day ten of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne early on January 22, 2025. (Photo by DAVID GRAY / AFP) / — IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE – STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE —Source: AFP

“It didn’t bother me, it didn’t create any hindrance towards the end of the match. Obviously, when the medications start to release, I’ll see what the reality is. Right now, I will try to (stay) in the moment and enjoy this victory.”

Djokovic later said that he would skip practice on Wednesday and would need to closely monitor his condition before facing Zverev.

 “I’m concerned. I am, to be honest, physically. But if I manage somehow to be physically good enough, I think mentally, emotionally I’m as motivated as I can be.”

Three errant returns by Alcaraz in the first game alone led to an early Djokovic hold. The Spaniard’s early shakiness continued into his first service game, allowing his Serbian counterpart an early break.

Alcaraz, who recorded four winners to Djokovic’s none early in the piece, then broke back for 1-2, before holding for 2-2 in the first.

After a series of respective holds for 4-4, Djokovic appeared to grab his groin after a point. After subsequent points, he looked proppy at best, shortly after broken for 4-5 before requesting a medical timeout.

He returned, just for Alcaraz to hold him to love for the first set. However, Djokovic broke Alcaraz early in the second to jump out to a 2-0 lead, before holding for 3-0. It was then that an irrevocable momentum shift would occur.

Djokovic, at this stage, was an imposing 9/13 at the net, while Alcaraz had won just one more total point for the match.

TOPSHOT – Serbia’s Novak Djokovic celebrates the match point against Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz during their men’s singles quarterfinal match on day ten of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 22, 2025. (Photo by Martin KEEP / AFP) / — IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE – STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE —Source: AFP

Alcaraz broke for 2-3. He had 19 winners to Djokovic’s nine at the time.

Right as it seemed Novak was about to break back, Alcaraz’s drop-shot game came back out to play, aiding his hold for 3-3. Novak held for 4-3, and then Alcaraz for 4-4.

Thanks to a line-ball shot by Alcaraz dropping out, Djokovic importantly held for 5-4 late in the second. And despite battling injury, Djokovic then broke for the second set; 1-1 in the match.

The evenness of the contest was evident as early in the third, Alcaraz led 76-75 for total points in the match.

Alcaraz held for 2-2 before Djokovic returned at 3-2.

Alcaraz held the winners advantage all throughout the match, and at this stage in the match he led 34-22, but there was still essentially nothing separating the pair in terms of total points won.

And despite the Spaniard’s success with the drop shot, Novak was still a more effective 17/27 at the net.

Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz (R) acknowledges the spectators as he walks off the court after his defeat to Serbia’s Novak Djokovic (L) in the men’s singles quarterfinal match on day ten of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 22, 2025. (Photo by DAVID GRAY / AFP) / — IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE – STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE —Source: AFP

Then, suddenly, Djokovic broke Alcaraz after deuce to take a commanding 4-2 lead in the third. Alcaraz broke back for 3-4, only for Djokovic to break again for 5-3.

Serving for the set, Djokovic battled from 0-30 to win the game — and the set — after a magnificent rally. The 10-time AO champion led in the match, 2-1, after winning the second 6-3.

Crucially, Djokovic broke to open the fourth, leading 1-0. He would hold for all remaining service games, despite it seeming at multiple stages that an Alcaraz momentum shift was on the cards.

Instead, Djokovic’s quest for an 11th Australian Open singles title continues, and the Serbian claims his fifth win against the 21-year-old Alcaraz from eight career tries.

Australian legend Lleyton Hewitt described it on Channel 9 as “one of his greatest wins” while follow great Todd Woodbridge agreed the Serb had delivered “one of his finest performances”.

Tennis commentator David Law described the victory as “absurd”

“I thought I’d seen and heard and experienced everything there was to see, hear and experience from Novak Djokovic over the course of 20 odd years,” Law said on The Tennis Podcast.

“I thought when he won Olympic gold there was really nothing else to be taken aback by because I thought that wouldn’t happen.

“… I thought him winning against Carlos Alcaraz over the best of five sets at a grand slam tournament was not something I was ever going to see with him at 37 and Alcaraz at 21 and he’s proved all of that wrong. I find it breathtaking what he’s achieved tonight.

Serbia’s Novak Djokovic (L) embraces Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz after their men’s singles quarterfinal match on day ten of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 22, 2025. (Photo by WILLIAM WEST / AFP) / — IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE – STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE —Source: AFP

“… What he came back out with in the last two hours of that match was some of the best tennis I’ve ever seen from anybody at any age and he’s done it at 37 and I just don’t know how he’s done that.”

“… The main thing I remember feeling …. I just can’t think of another athlete that I’ve ever seen in any sport at this sort of age who could play this sort of an aerobic sport against a 21 year old phenom like Alcaraz — who is probably going to end up one of the greatest players we’ve ever seen — and take him out like that.”