Alexander Zverev booked his place in the Australian Open final for the first time after Novak Djokovic was forced to retire due to injury following a grueling first set, which Zverev edged 7-6(5).
It was a bittersweet moment for Zverev, who advanced to his third Grand Slam final after a fiercely contested opening set in Melbourne. The 25-year-old German battled past an ailing Djokovic, whose muscle tear in his upper left leg ultimately proved insurmountable.
Despite the setback, Djokovic fought valiantly, matching Zverev point-for-point in a 1-hour, 21-minute opener filled with punishing baseline rallies.
“I actually thought it was quite a high-level first set,” Zverev said in an interview after the match. “But in the tie-break, I could see him start to struggle. The rallies were extremely physical, and it seemed to take a toll.”
Djokovic’s resilience was evident as he fended off five break points while generating three of his own. However, the Serbian legend, chasing his 10th Australian Open title, netted a routine volley on set point to hand Zverev the tie-break. By then, the signs of discomfort were unmistakable.
“I did everything I possibly can to manage the muscle tear,” Djokovic admitted in his post-match press conference. “But towards the end of that first set, the pain was just too much to handle.”
Zverev now awaits the winner of the second semi-final between Jannik Sinner and Alex de Minaur, as he seeks his maiden Grand Slam title.
