AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 24, 2025

Novak Djokovic

Press Conference

A. ZVEREV/N. Djokovic

7-6 (ret.)

THE MODERATOR: Tough luck, Novak. Please tell us how you managed the injury the last 48 hours and today when you realized that you just couldn't go on.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I didn't hit a ball since Alcaraz match, so until like an hour before today's match.

Yeah, I did everything I possibly can to basically manage the muscle tear that I had. Yeah, medications and, I guess, the strap, and the physio work helped to some extent today. But yeah, towards the end of that first set I just started feeling more and more pain. It was, yeah, too much, I guess, to handle for me at the moment.

Yeah, unfortunate ending, but I tried.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Tough day today. Was there any chance that if you won the first set, you would see if you felt some adrenaline?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, it could be. If I won the first set, maybe I would try, yeah, I don't know, a few more games, half a set, maybe a set. I don't know. It was getting worse and worse.

I knew even if I won the first set, that it's going to be a huge uphill battle for me to stay physically fit enough to stay with him in the rallies, you know, for another God knows what, two, three, four hours.

I don't think I had that, unfortunately, today in the tank.

Q. I recall a couple of years ago when you sustained a similar injury. I remember you had a scan, and the scan was not great. I just wonder whether you had a scan on this and how it...

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, I mean, look, it's a muscle tear. Two years ago, you know, I have managed it better. On the court it didn't bother me as much. This time that wasn't the case.

So in these kind of instances I guess have you to try to do as much as you possibly can in the shortest amount of time, and that was the case.

Yeah, I had an extra day, so two days no match. So I thought it's going to be good enough maybe. But yeah, that wasn't the case, unfortunately.

Q. I realize you've only just come off court. What's your feeling about the arrangement the with Andy? Would you like it to continue? Do you think it will continue?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I don't know. You know, we both were disappointed with what just happened, so we didn't talk about the future steps. We are so fresh off the court.

I'll definitely have a chat with Andy and thank him for being here with me. You know, give him my feedback, which is, of course, positive, and see how he feels and we make the next step.

We are still hotheaded and disappointed, so it's kind of hard to switch the page and start talking about what the next steps are. You know, I think we both need to cool off a little bit and then we'll have a chat.

Q. Notwithstanding your disappointment now, are you satisfied with your tournament, given your win over Alcaraz in general?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I actually thought I played really well, as well as I played the last 12 months, to be honest. I liked my chances if I was physically, yeah, fit and ready to battle.

I liked my chances today. Who knows? Of course, it was never going to be an easy battle, an easy match for me. Neither it was for Sascha, even if I was not injured.

But as I said, I think I was striking the ball very well. A lot of positives to take in terms of how I played semifinals.

It's a very good results considering the circumstances. But it's not satisfying to me, you know, for my standards. I always look for the highest goal, to reach the finals and fight for a trophy.

I wish Sascha all the best. You know, he deserves his first slam. I'll be cheering for him. Hopefully he can get it here.

Q. You've been such a great champion here in Melbourne. You had your family here this year. Is there a chance that this might be your last Australian Open?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I don't know. There is a chance. Who knows? I'll just have to see how the season goes. I want to keep going. But whether I'm going to have a revised schedule or not for the next year, I'm not sure.

I normally like to come to Australia to play. I've had the biggest success in my career here. So if I'm fit, healthy, motivated, I don't see a reason why I wouldn't come.

But there's always a chance, yeah.

Q. If I could just ask, how long do you think you might be out with this? You talked about your physical pain. Can you sum up emotionally how you feel? You are playing so well at your most successful Grand Slam, and you've had that taken away from you now.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, I mean, look, it's not the first time that I kind of encountered these kind of circumstances.

It is what it is. You know, injury is the biggest enemy of a professional athlete. In the past I managed certain injuries, like the one you mentioned, few years ago that to some extent even helped me even play better and win the tournament.

But, yeah, it wasn't to be this time. That's okay. You know, I cannot throw away all the incredible memories and results and achievements that I've achieved here over the years just because this year, you know, I retired in the semifinals.

I still, of course, now freshly off the court, am disappointed and upset. But at the same time Australia always will stay in my head, in my heart, as the best slam that I've ever played and ever performed on.

Yeah, look, when you are on the court, it's adrenaline. It's a lot of things that you are experiencing. So emotionally it's a roller coaster in some way. In some instances or some phases of the match you feel better; some you are feeling almost anxious. So you have to weather that storm.

Sometimes it works in your favor; sometimes it doesn't. It also depends on the other player, how he's managing those situations. That's the beauty of one-on-one sport, you know, individual sport, is such that there is no replacement, there is no substitution.

I could not go out now after first set and somebody comes in for me and then I rest for an hour and maybe come back or maybe come back for the next match and my team wins. It doesn't happen in our sport.

If you in a way don't show up and if something is wrong, you're out. But that's, again, the sport we are part of. I love it. I think it has given me the opportunity to be here. So there's a lot to be grateful for and really proud of.

Q. Novak, you say we've become so used to you pulling off these miraculous physical recoveries. How much of a worry is it...

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Sorry, I didn't answer your question. You asked me how long. I will answer.

I don't know, to be honest. I have to examine more this injury. You know, when I go back home now to Europe, I will get together with the medical team and my physios and try to understand, yeah, what we can do and the quickest way to recover and get back on track.

I still have Doha tournament in few weeks' time that is scheduled. Whether I'm going to play it or not, it really does depend on how quickly I recover.

But I had success with quick recoveries in the past. Let's see. It just depends on the muscle and how it responds to the treatment.

Q. We've become so used to these miraculous physical recoveries. How much of a worry is it for you that here and at the French that wasn't quite possible?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I mean, how much of a worry is it? I don't know. It's not like I'm worrying approaching every Grand Slam now whether I'm going to get injured or not, but statistics are against me in a way in the last couple of years.

So it is true that, you know, getting injured quite a bit last few years. I don't know what exactly is the reason for that, you know? Maybe several differently factors. But I'll keep going. You know, I'll keep striving to win more slams. And as long as I feel that I want to put up with all of this, I'll be around.