Novak Djokovic makes two-word admission after retiring from Australian Open

Novak Djokovic admitted “he tried” but was forced to pull out of the Australian Open a set into his semi-final against Alexander Zverev due to injury.

There had been doubt about the Serbian’s fitness until he took to the court after he suffered a left leg injury during his quarter-final against Carlos Alcaraz on Tuesday.

Speaking on Friday (24 January) Djokovic said: “I did everything I possibly can to manage the muscle tear that I had.

“Medications, the strap and the physio work helped to some extent today. But towards the end of that first set I just started feeling more and more pain.”