Agony in Melbourne: Djokovic's Heartbreaking Exit

Novak Djokovic withdrew from the Australian Open semifinal due to a severe muscle tear in his left leg after the first set against Alexander Zverev. Despite managing pain with medication and physiotherapy, he conceded the match, ending his bid for an 11th Australian Open title.

In a dramatic turn of events at the Australian Open, Novak Djokovic was forced to retire from his semifinal match against Germany's Alexander Zverev on Friday. The Serbian star, who has been dealing with a muscle tear in his left leg, lost the opening set 7-6 (5) in a hard-fought tiebreaker.

Fans at Melbourne Park voiced their disappointment as Djokovic walked off the court, signaling his withdrawal. At a news conference, Djokovic revealed the escalating pain from his injury, which he initially sustained during his previous win over Carlos Alcaraz. Despite aggressive treatments and medication, the 37-year-old found it impossible to continue the match.

This untimely exit dashed his hopes of clinching a record 25th Grand Slam title. As Zverev advanced to his first Australian Open final, Djokovic reflected on possible future appearances, given the severity of his injury struggles. Meanwhile, the women's final is set, with No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka facing Madison Keys.

(With inputs from agencies.)