<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/novak-djokovic">Novak Djokovic</a> retires midway through the men's first semi-final of the ongoing <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/australian-open">Australian Open 2025</a> in Melbourne as second seed Alexander Zverev advances to the final. In a shocking turn of events, the 24-time Grand Slam winner looked in discomfort, giving up following the end of the first set, which lasted for 82 minutes.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m6adg18w-0zi23852-rkecxgi5">
Not how we wanted your campaign to end, <a href="https://twitter.com/DjokerNole?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@djokernole</a>. Thank you for another wonderful Australian summer. Well played and best wishes for a speedy recovery.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AO2025?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AO2025</a> <a href="https://t.co/d5VJ6YNBeN">pic.twitter.com/d5VJ6YNBeN</a>
&mdash; #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) <a href="https://twitter.com/AustralianOpen/status/1882657807943577970?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 24, 2025</a></blockquote>
Djokovic retired injured after losing the hard-fought first set, leaving his bid for the record 25th Slam title in tatters on Friday (Jan 24). Novak played with a heavily taped upper left leg he injured during the gruelling quarterfinal clash against <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/carlos-alcaraz">Carlos Alcaraz</a> and called time on his semi-final game after going down 6-7 (5-7) in the first set.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/australian-open-2025-madison-keys-saves-match-point-against-iga-swiatek-to-reach-second-grand-slam-final-8647829" rel="dofollow">Australian Open 2025: Madison Keys saves match point against Iga Swiatek to reach second Grand Slam final</a>
Leaving the Melbourne court to a mixture of boos and applause from the crowd, Djokovic&rsquo;s injury meant Zverev made it to his maiden Australian Open final, facing the winner of the second semi-final between the defending champion Jannik Sinner and Ben Shelton on Sunday in the summit clash.&nbsp;
Meanwhile, Djokovic&rsquo;s exit meant he has gone five majors without winning the title he needs to surpass Margaret Court's tally (24) and become the all-time leader.
Besides, the defeat, as it would looked at, deprived Novak of reaching his 100th career title, with former Tennis legend Roger Federer (102) remaining the only player (male or female) to surpass the century mark.&nbsp;
<h2>Zverev&rsquo;s time to shine</h2>
Zverev rose to the occasion, giving a tough fight to the title contender and cementing his place as one of the favourites to win this year&rsquo;s first major. Although he made it to his maiden AO Final without beating his semis opponent, Zverev was the Grand Slam runners-up twice last year at the French and the US Open.
Even last year, the German made it to the last four of the Australian Open, but despite holding a 2-0 lead against Daniil Medvedev in his semis clash, he fell shy of making it to the final and realising his dream. He returned stronger this season after ending the previous year as the ranked number two player.
<h3>Djokovic injury concern</h3>
The former world number one entered the contest with questions over his fitness following needing medical attention during the quarterfinal clash against Alcaraz.&nbsp;
Even before this highly-anticipated match, Djokovic admitted to being worried about his fitness.&nbsp;
Meanwhile, after two-and-fro for over an hour, Djokovic surrendered the first set, which went till the tie-breaker, with Zverev coming on top.&nbsp;
<h3>Australian wildcards Gadecki-Peers win mixed doubles title</h3>
Wild card duo Olivia Gadecki and John Peers won the Australian Open 2025 mixed doubles title after beating compatriots Kimberly Birrell and John-Patrick Smith in an all-Aussie summit clash on Friday (Jan 24).
The Australian wildcards earned a comeback 3-6, 6-4 (10-6) win over compatriots Birrell and Smith in one hour and 24 minutes.
Gadecki and Peers were presented the trophy by Grand Slam champions Lesley Bowrey and Bill Bowrey, and the victory marks a second Australian title for Peers, who won the men&rsquo;s doubles title with Henri Kontinen in 2017.
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Tennis: Alexander Zverev will face the winner of Sinner vs Shelton (second semi-final) in the final of the Australian Open 2025, scheduled on Sunday.

Novak Djokovic retires midway through the men's first semi-final of the ongoing Australian Open 2025 in Melbourne as second seed Alexander Zverev advances to the final. In a shocking turn of events, the 24-time Grand Slam winner looked in discomfort, giving up following the end of the first set, which lasted for 82 minutes. Not how we wanted your campaign to end, @djokernole. Thank you for another wonderful Australian summer. Well played and best wishes for a speedy recovery.#AO2025 pic.twitter.com/d5VJ6YNBeN — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 24, 2025 Djokovic retired injured after losing the hard-fought first set, leaving his bid for the record 25th Slam title in tatters on Friday (Jan 24). Novak played with a heavily taped upper left leg he injured during the gruelling quarterfinal clash against Carlos Alcaraz and called time on his semi-final game after going down 6-7 (5-7) in the first set. Also read | Australian Open 2025: Madison Keys saves match point against Iga Swiatek to reach second Grand Slam final Leaving the Melbourne court to a mixture of boos and applause from the crowd, Djokovic’s injury meant Zverev made it to his maiden Australian Open final, facing the winner of the second semi-final between the defending champion Jannik Sinner and Ben Shelton on Sunday in the summit clash. Meanwhile, Djokovic’s exit meant he has gone five majors without winning the title he needs to surpass Margaret Court's tally (24) and become the all-time leader. Besides, the defeat, as it would looked at, deprived Novak of reaching his 100th career title, with former Tennis legend Roger Federer (102) remaining the only player (male or female) to surpass the century mark. Zverev’s time to shine Zverev rose to the occasion, giving a tough fight to the title contender and cementing his place as one of the favourites to win this year’s first major. Although he made it to his maiden AO Final without beating his semis opponent, Zverev was the Grand Slam runners-up twice last year at the French and the US Open. Even last year, the German made it to the last four of the Australian Open, but despite holding a 2-0 lead against Daniil Medvedev in his semis clash, he fell shy of making it to the final and realising his dream. He returned stronger this season after ending the previous year as the ranked number two player. Djokovic injury concern The former world number one entered the contest with questions over his fitness following needing medical attention during the quarterfinal clash against Alcaraz. Even before this highly-anticipated match, Djokovic admitted to being worried about his fitness. Meanwhile, after two-and-fro for over an hour, Djokovic surrendered the first set, which went till the tie-breaker, with Zverev coming on top. Australian wildcards Gadecki-Peers win mixed doubles title Wild card duo Olivia Gadecki and John Peers won the Australian Open 2025 mixed doubles title after beating compatriots Kimberly Birrell and John-Patrick Smith in an all-Aussie summit clash on Friday (Jan 24). The Australian wildcards earned a comeback 3-6, 6-4 (10-6) win over compatriots Birrell and Smith in one hour and 24 minutes. Gadecki and Peers were presented the trophy by Grand Slam champions Lesley Bowrey and Bill Bowrey, and the victory marks a second Australian title for Peers, who won the men’s doubles title with Henri Kontinen in 2017. (With inputs from agencies)

Australian Open 2025: Alexander Zverev in final after Djokovic retires midway

Novak Djokovic's heart-warming reaction to his kids being awake during his quarter-final in Australian Open 2025 on Tuesday (Jan 21) is going viral. The 37-year-old beat injury scare to come out triumphant against Spain's Carlos Alcaraz in Melbourne Park. <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/novak-djokovic">Djokovic</a> won 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 after losing the first set in the epic battle.
After the game, Djokovic was talking with the presenter but looked distracted at his kids being awake at 1 am local time and said: &ldquo;I heard your question&hellip; but I&rsquo;m surprised that my kids are still here. I love you, thank you for supporting me, but it&rsquo;s 1:00 am! When are you gonna sleep tonight?&rdquo;
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tennis/sinner-vs-minaur-australian-open-2025-live-today-quarterfinal-score-match-updates-liveblog-8643690">Australian Open 2025 HIGHLIGHTS: Sinner beats de Minaur to enter semis</a>
In the clip shared by the Australian Open Instagram, Djokovic's daughter Tara is seen gesturing at watch in a heart-warming moment. Watch the clip below:
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<h2>Injury scare for Djokovic ahead of semis</h2>
With the QF win, Djokovic advanced to the semis in hope of winning the elusive 25th grand slam title. The Serbian, however, was tired after the match and said he wished for 'this match to be the final.'
Djokovic had an injury scare in the match when he <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tennis/djokovic-vs-alcaraz-australian-open-2025-djokovic-alcaraz-injury-scare-video-during-quarterfinal-8641618">left the court for a three-minute medical timeout</a> in the first set.
"I just wish that this match today was the final," said Djokovic in the post-match presentation after beating 'terrific guy' <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/carlos-alcaraz">Alcaraz</a>.
Djokovic, who has 24 grand slam titles to his name, will next face Alexander Zverev in the semi-final on Friday (Jan 24) at the Rod Laver arena.
"I guess the key is recovery," Djokovic said about the Zverev clash.&nbsp;
"That's all I'm thinking about. Hopefully I can come out and feel my best because Sascha (Zeverv) is playing some of the best tennis he has played," he added.
Djokovic has won the Australian Open 10 times, the French Open three times, the US Open four times, and Wimbledon seven times.

Australian Open 2025: After the QF win vs Alcaraz, Djokovic was talking with the presenter but looked distracted at his kids being awake at 1 am local time. Tennis Sports

Novak Djokovic's heart-warming reaction to his kids being awake during his quarter-final in Australian Open 2025 on Tuesday (Jan 21) is going viral. The 37-year-old beat injury scare to come out triumphant against Spain's Carlos Alcaraz in Melbourne Park. Djokovic won 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 after losing the first set in the epic battle. After the game, Djokovic was talking with the presenter but looked distracted at his kids being awake at 1 am local time and said: “I heard your question… but I’m surprised that my kids are still here. I love you, thank you for supporting me, but it’s 1:00 am! When are you gonna sleep tonight?” Also Read: Australian Open 2025 HIGHLIGHTS: Sinner beats de Minaur to enter semis In the clip shared by the Australian Open Instagram, Djokovic's daughter Tara is seen gesturing at watch in a heart-warming moment. Watch the clip below: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Australian Open (@australianopen) Injury scare for Djokovic ahead of semis With the QF win, Djokovic advanced to the semis in hope of winning the elusive 25th grand slam title. The Serbian, however, was tired after the match and said he wished for 'this match to be the final.' Djokovic had an injury scare in the match when he left the court for a three-minute medical timeout in the first set. "I just wish that this match today was the final," said Djokovic in the post-match presentation after beating 'terrific guy' Alcaraz. Djokovic, who has 24 grand slam titles to his name, will next face Alexander Zverev in the semi-final on Friday (Jan 24) at the Rod Laver arena. "I guess the key is recovery," Djokovic said about the Zverev clash. "That's all I'm thinking about. Hopefully I can come out and feel my best because Sascha (Zeverv) is playing some of the best tennis he has played," he added. Djokovic has won the Australian Open 10 times, the French Open three times, the US Open four times, and Wimbledon seven times.

Australian Open 2025: Novak Djokovic's CONCERN for children in interview post QF win goes viral - WATCH

Carlos Alcaraz said his failure to capitalise on <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/novak-djokovic">Novak Djokovic</a>'s thigh problem was his "biggest mistake" in losing to the 24-time Grand Slam champion in an Australian Open blockbuster on Tuesday.
The 10-time Melbourne Park winner Djokovic outlasted the younger Spaniard 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 to set up a semi-final with Alexander Zverev.
The 21-year-old <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/carlos-alcaraz">Spaniard Alcaraz</a> has won four major titles but his wait for a first Australian Open crown goes on.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tennis/2025-australian-open-djokovic-vs-alcaraz-live-today-jan-21-match-score-in-quarterfinal-liveblog-8640427" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Djokovic vs Alcaraz Australian Open 2025 HIGHLIGHTS</a>
A wincing Djokovic, 37, called the trainer and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tennis/djokovic-vs-alcaraz-australian-open-2025-djokovic-alcaraz-injury-scare-video-during-quarterfinal-8641618">had a medical timeout</a> late in a first set which he went on to lose.
He returned with heavy strapping on his left thigh, but after moving gingerly at first, Djokovic only seemed to get better from then.
Djokovic afterwards refused to say exactly what his injury problem was, but said "the medication started to kick in, and it helped".
Alcaraz felt he should have rammed home the advantage when Djokovic was struggling still in the second set.
"Honestly I felt like I was controlling the match and I let him get into the match again. I'm going to say that was the biggest mistake that I made today," said Alcaraz.
"In the second set I had to play a little bit better just to push him even more to the limit. We saw that he had issues just moving a little bit in the second set.
"I had to push him a little bit more just to the limit, and I didn't. I didn't do it.
"After that, I think he started to feel better and was playing such a great level."
Alcaraz said he would leave Australia with his "head up", saying that the defeat in a quarter-final at the hands of one of the best ever would help him develop further as a player.
"I'm just lucky to live this experience," he said.
"From these matches I'm getting so much experience about how to deal with everything. I'm not going to hide.
"I've done great things in tennis already, but playing against one of the best in history of our sport, these kind of matches help me a lot in the future to be better."
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Australian Open 2025: The 10-time Melbourne Park winner Djokovic outlasted the younger Spaniard 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 to set up a semi-final with Alexander Zverev. Tennis Sports

Carlos Alcaraz said his failure to capitalise on Novak Djokovic's thigh problem was his "biggest mistake" in losing to the 24-time Grand Slam champion in an Australian Open blockbuster on Tuesday. The 10-time Melbourne Park winner Djokovic outlasted the younger Spaniard 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 to set up a semi-final with Alexander Zverev. The 21-year-old Spaniard Alcaraz has won four major titles but his wait for a first Australian Open crown goes on. Also Read: Djokovic vs Alcaraz Australian Open 2025 HIGHLIGHTS A wincing Djokovic, 37, called the trainer and had a medical timeout late in a first set which he went on to lose. He returned with heavy strapping on his left thigh, but after moving gingerly at first, Djokovic only seemed to get better from then. Djokovic afterwards refused to say exactly what his injury problem was, but said "the medication started to kick in, and it helped". Alcaraz felt he should have rammed home the advantage when Djokovic was struggling still in the second set. "Honestly I felt like I was controlling the match and I let him get into the match again. I'm going to say that was the biggest mistake that I made today," said Alcaraz. "In the second set I had to play a little bit better just to push him even more to the limit. We saw that he had issues just moving a little bit in the second set. "I had to push him a little bit more just to the limit, and I didn't. I didn't do it. "After that, I think he started to feel better and was playing such a great level." Alcaraz said he would leave Australia with his "head up", saying that the defeat in a quarter-final at the hands of one of the best ever would help him develop further as a player. "I'm just lucky to live this experience," he said. "From these matches I'm getting so much experience about how to deal with everything. I'm not going to hide. "I've done great things in tennis already, but playing against one of the best in history of our sport, these kind of matches help me a lot in the future to be better." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Australian Open 2025: 'Biggest mistake that I made...,' Carlos Alcaraz after loss vs Novak Djokovic in QF

Novak Djokovic beat injury scare to come out triumphant in the men's singles quarter-final against Spain's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/carlos-alcaraz" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Carlos Alcaraz</a> in Australian Open 2025 on Tuesday (Jan 21). With the win, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/novak-djokovic" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Djokovic</a> advanced to the semis in hope of winning the elusive 25th grand slam title. The 37-year-old Serbian, however, was tired after the match and said he wished for 'this match to be the final.'
<h2>Djokovic vs Alcaraz Australian Open 2025</h2>
"I just wish that this match today was the final," said Djokovic in the post-match presentation after beating 'terrific guy' Alcaraz 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4. "Just one of the most epic matches I have played on this court, any court really."
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tennis/2025-australian-open-djokovic-vs-alcaraz-live-today-jan-21-match-score-in-quarterfinal-liveblog-8640427" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Djokovic vs Alcaraz Australian Open 2025&nbsp;HIGHLIGHTS</a>
Djokovic, who has 24 grand slam titles to his name, will next face Alexander Zverev in the semi-final on Friday (Jan 24) at the Rod Laver arena.
"I guess the key is recovery," Djokovic said about the Zverev clash.&nbsp;
"That's all I'm thinking about. Hopefully I can come out and feel my best because Sascha (Zeverv) is playing some of the best tennis he has played," he added.
Djokovic started the showdown match by winning two games in a row before Alcaraz bounced back. By the time Alcaraz led 5-4 in the first set, Djokovic <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tennis/djokovic-vs-alcaraz-australian-open-2025-djokovic-alcaraz-injury-scare-video-during-quarterfinal-8641618" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">left the court</a> for a three-minute medical timeout. Alcaraz took advantage of a gingerly walking Djokovic and won the first set.
The 37-year-old, however, showed his experience and went on to win the next three sets and the match as well.
Djokovic has won <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/australian-open" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Australian Open</a> 10 times, French Open three times, US Open four times, and Wimbledon seven times.
Alcaraz, on the other hand, has won four grand slam titles including one US Open, one Wimbledon and two French Opens but will have to wait another year for his maiden Australian Open title.

Australian Open 2025: Novak Djokovic beat the injury scare to beat Spain's Carlos Alcaraz in the men's singles quarter-final 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4. Tennis Sports

Novak Djokovic beat injury scare to come out triumphant in the men's singles quarter-final against Spain's Carlos Alcaraz in Australian Open 2025 on Tuesday (Jan 21). With the win, Djokovic advanced to the semis in hope of winning the elusive 25th grand slam title. The 37-year-old Serbian, however, was tired after the match and said he wished for 'this match to be the final.' Djokovic vs Alcaraz Australian Open 2025 "I just wish that this match today was the final," said Djokovic in the post-match presentation after beating 'terrific guy' Alcaraz 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4. "Just one of the most epic matches I have played on this court, any court really." Also Read: Djokovic vs Alcaraz Australian Open 2025 HIGHLIGHTS Djokovic, who has 24 grand slam titles to his name, will next face Alexander Zverev in the semi-final on Friday (Jan 24) at the Rod Laver arena. "I guess the key is recovery," Djokovic said about the Zverev clash. "That's all I'm thinking about. Hopefully I can come out and feel my best because Sascha (Zeverv) is playing some of the best tennis he has played," he added. Djokovic started the showdown match by winning two games in a row before Alcaraz bounced back. By the time Alcaraz led 5-4 in the first set, Djokovic left the court for a three-minute medical timeout. Alcaraz took advantage of a gingerly walking Djokovic and won the first set. The 37-year-old, however, showed his experience and went on to win the next three sets and the match as well. Djokovic has won Australian Open 10 times, French Open three times, US Open four times, and Wimbledon seven times. Alcaraz, on the other hand, has won four grand slam titles including one US Open, one Wimbledon and two French Opens but will have to wait another year for his maiden Australian Open title.

Australian Open 2025: Tired Novak Djokovic 'wish today was the final' after epic win vs Carlos Alcaraz in QF

Spain's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/carlos-alcaraz">Carlos Alcaraz</a> and Serbian <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/novak-djokovic">Novak Djokovic</a> both had injury scare during the men's singles quarter-final in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/australian-open">Australian Open</a> 2025 on Tuesday (Jan 21). Djokovic took a medical time out in the first set itself and went on to lose it while Alcaraz could be seen limping after the third set.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tennis/2025-australian-open-djokovic-vs-alcaraz-live-today-jan-21-match-score-in-quarterfinal-liveblog-8640427" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Djokovic vs Alcaraz Australian Open 2025 Live Updates</a>
<h2>Injury scare for Djokovic, Alcaraz in Australian Open 2025</h2>
Djokovic had a injury scare early in the game when he left the stadium with physio on a medical timeout for three minutes. Alcaraz was leading 5-4 at the time and eventually won the set 6-4.
<figure class="image"><img alt="Novak Djokovic" src="https://img-cdn.thepublive.com/fit-in/1280x720/filters:format(webp)/wion/media/media_files/2025/01/21/pjgv8CvStkaf6k8UQin1.png" style="width: 1280px;">
<figcaption>Novak Djokovic had injury scare in Australian Open 2025 Photograph: (X)</figcaption>
</figure>
&nbsp;
Djokovic was visibly upset with it and had covered his face with a towel. Have a look at the moment below:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Another time Novak Djokovic is injured against Carlos Alcaraz 💔<a href="https://twitter.com/DjokerNole?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DjokerNole</a> is clearly in so much pain 😭<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Djokovic?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Djokovic</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NoleFam?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NoleFam</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AO2025?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AO2025</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AusOpen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AusOpen</a><a href="https://t.co/0JtimXiIa3">pic.twitter.com/0JtimXiIa3</a>
&mdash; Shane Gupta (@Shanegupta22) <a href="https://twitter.com/Shanegupta22/status/1881669762218090612?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2025</a></blockquote>

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Alcaraz, meanwhile, seemed to grab his right leg after losing the second consecutive set against the Serbian. After winning the first set, the Spaniard lost the next two sets 6-4, 6-3. Have a look at the moment below:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Carlos Alcaraz grabs his leg after losing the set to Djokovic at Australian Open &ldquo;He&rsquo;s kind of limping around. Then he gets up &amp; does it again. Limping around &amp; sitting down. He&rsquo;s obviously fine. Just acting like he&rsquo;s got an injury&rdquo; &ldquo;He&rsquo;s being Novak.&rdquo; <a href="https://t.co/maX3mDKPfa">pic.twitter.com/maX3mDKPfa</a>
&mdash; The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheTennisLetter/status/1881689634125869482?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2025</a></blockquote>

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<h2>Alcaraz loses cool over umpire call</h2>
Alcaraz <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tennis/djokovic-vs-alcaraz-australian-open-2025-carlos-alcaraz-loses-cool-in-qf-vs-novak-djokovic-8641451">lost his cool</a> over an umpire call in the second set during the match. The Spaniard didn't hold back at all and showed his displeasure to the chair umpire immediately.&nbsp;
The umpire made a let call but the Spanish player lost his cool for time taken during the serves following the chair umpire's call.
"It was five seconds late. It's crazy," said Alcaraz looking totally furious.
"I know it's let, but you stopped when he stopped," shouted the 21-year-old thrice as the crowd booed him at the Rod Laver arena.
Djokovic has won Australian Open 10 times, French Open three times, US Open four times, and Wimbledon seven times and is chasing the elusive 25th grand slam.
Alcaraz, on the other hand, has won four grand slam titles including one US Open, one Wimbledon and two French Opens - he'll be eager to continue his journey for the maiden Australian Open title.

Australian Open 2025: Carlos Alcaraz and Serbian Novak Djokovic both had a injury scare during the men's singles quarter-final on Tuesday (Jan 21). Tennis Sports

Spain's Carlos Alcaraz and Serbian Novak Djokovic both had injury scare during the men's singles quarter-final in the Australian Open 2025 on Tuesday (Jan 21). Djokovic took a medical time out in the first set itself and went on to lose it while Alcaraz could be seen limping after the third set. Also Read: Djokovic vs Alcaraz Australian Open 2025 Live Updates Injury scare for Djokovic, Alcaraz in Australian Open 2025 Djokovic had a injury scare early in the game when he left the stadium with physio on a medical timeout for three minutes. Alcaraz was leading 5-4 at the time and eventually won the set 6-4. Novak Djokovic had injury scare in Australian Open 2025 Photograph: (X) Djokovic was visibly upset with it and had covered his face with a towel. Have a look at the moment below: Another time Novak Djokovic is injured against Carlos Alcaraz 💔@DjokerNole is clearly in so much pain 😭#Djokovic | #NoleFam | #AO2025 | #AusOpenpic.twitter.com/0JtimXiIa3 — Shane Gupta (@Shanegupta22) January 21, 2025 Alcaraz, meanwhile, seemed to grab his right leg after losing the second consecutive set against the Serbian. After winning the first set, the Spaniard lost the next two sets 6-4, 6-3. Have a look at the moment below: Carlos Alcaraz grabs his leg after losing the set to Djokovic at Australian Open “He’s kind of limping around. Then he gets up & does it again. Limping around & sitting down. He’s obviously fine. Just acting like he’s got an injury” “He’s being Novak.” pic.twitter.com/maX3mDKPfa — The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) January 21, 2025 Alcaraz loses cool over umpire call Alcaraz lost his cool over an umpire call in the second set during the match. The Spaniard didn't hold back at all and showed his displeasure to the chair umpire immediately. The umpire made a let call but the Spanish player lost his cool for time taken during the serves following the chair umpire's call. "It was five seconds late. It's crazy," said Alcaraz looking totally furious. "I know it's let, but you stopped when he stopped," shouted the 21-year-old thrice as the crowd booed him at the Rod Laver arena. Djokovic has won Australian Open 10 times, French Open three times, US Open four times, and Wimbledon seven times and is chasing the elusive 25th grand slam. Alcaraz, on the other hand, has won four grand slam titles including one US Open, one Wimbledon and two French Opens - he'll be eager to continue his journey for the maiden Australian Open title.

Australian Open 2025: Djokovic, Alcaraz get injury scare during men's singles QF - WATCH

Spain's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/carlos-alcaraz">Carlos Alcaraz</a> lost his cool over an umpire call during the men's singles quarter-final against <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/novak-djokovic">Novak Djokovic</a> in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/australian-open" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Australian Open</a> 2025 on Tuesday (Jan 21). The Spaniard didn't hold back at all and showed his displeasure to the chair umpire immediately.
<h2>Djokovic vs Alcaraz Australian Open 2025</h2>
The match between the two player, representing different generations, is touted as the biggest showdown in year's first grand slam. The incident between Djokovic and Alcaraz happened during the second set with the Serbian leading 3-1. Alcaraz had already won the first set 6-4.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tennis/2025-australian-open-djokovic-vs-alcaraz-live-today-jan-21-match-score-in-quarterfinal-liveblog-8640427">Djokovic vs Alcaraz Australian Open 2025 Live Updates</a>
The umpire made a let call but the Spanish player lost his cool for time taken during the serves following the chair umpire's call.
"It was five seconds late. It's crazy," said Alcaraz looking totally furious.
"I know it's let, but you stopped when he stopped," shouted the 21-year-old thrice as the crowd booed him at the Rod Laver arena.
The commentator on air also seemed to agree with Alcaraz and said: "He is not happy because he thinks the umpire has been influenced by Djokovic stopping at that point."
<h2>Injury Scare for Novak Djokovic</h2>
The Serbian had a injury scare early in the game when he left the stadium with physio on a medical timeout. Alcaraz was leading 5-4 at the time and eventually won the set. Djokovic, however, came back strongly to win the next two sets 6-4, 6-3.&nbsp;
Djokovic has won<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/australian-open">&nbsp;</a><a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/australian-open">Australian Open</a><a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/australian-open">&nbsp;</a>10 times, French Open three times, US Open four times, and Wimbledon seven times and is chasing the elusive 25th grand slam.
Alcaraz, on the other hand, has won four grand slam titles including one US Open, one Wilmbledon and two French Opens - he'll be eager to continue his journey for the maiden Australian Open title.

Australian Open 2025: The umpire made a let call but the Spanish player lost his cool for time taken during the serves following the chair umpire's call. Tennis Sports

Spain's Carlos Alcaraz lost his cool over an umpire call during the men's singles quarter-final against Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open 2025 on Tuesday (Jan 21). The Spaniard didn't hold back at all and showed his displeasure to the chair umpire immediately. Djokovic vs Alcaraz Australian Open 2025 The match between the two player, representing different generations, is touted as the biggest showdown in year's first grand slam. The incident between Djokovic and Alcaraz happened during the second set with the Serbian leading 3-1. Alcaraz had already won the first set 6-4. Also Read: Djokovic vs Alcaraz Australian Open 2025 Live Updates The umpire made a let call but the Spanish player lost his cool for time taken during the serves following the chair umpire's call. "It was five seconds late. It's crazy," said Alcaraz looking totally furious. "I know it's let, but you stopped when he stopped," shouted the 21-year-old thrice as the crowd booed him at the Rod Laver arena. The commentator on air also seemed to agree with Alcaraz and said: "He is not happy because he thinks the umpire has been influenced by Djokovic stopping at that point." Injury Scare for Novak Djokovic The Serbian had a injury scare early in the game when he left the stadium with physio on a medical timeout. Alcaraz was leading 5-4 at the time and eventually won the set. Djokovic, however, came back strongly to win the next two sets 6-4, 6-3. Djokovic has won Australian Open 10 times, French Open three times, US Open four times, and Wimbledon seven times and is chasing the elusive 25th grand slam. Alcaraz, on the other hand, has won four grand slam titles including one US Open, one Wilmbledon and two French Opens - he'll be eager to continue his journey for the maiden Australian Open title.

Australian Open 2025: Carlos Alcaraz loses cool in QF vs Novak Djokovic

A leading TV presenter apologised on-air on Monday to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/novak-djokovic">Novak Djokovic</a> after mocking the 24-time Grand Slam winner and his Serbian fans at the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/australian-open">0</a>, saying it was meant to be banter.<o:p></o:p>
The 37-year-old <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/tennis">tennis</a> great refused to do a routine on-court interview after beating Jiri Lehecka in three sets on Rod Laver Arena to make the quarter-finals on Sunday evening.<o:p></o:p>
Afterwards he said it was in protest at Tony Jones, a top sports presenter with host broadcaster Channel Nine, who he accused of "insulting and offensive comments" towards him and Serbian fans.<o:p></o:p>
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/indian-open-2025-i-am-far-from-my-best-says-two-time-olympic-champion-viktor-axelsen-8635982" rel="dofollow">Indian Open 2025: I am far from my best, says two-time Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen</a>
Djokovic said he would boycott interviews with the TV station until he got an apology.<o:p></o:p>
"The comments were made on the news on the Friday night, which I considered to be banter. I considered it to be humour, which is consistent with most things I do," Jones said on Monday. "Having said that, I was made aware on Saturday morning, from Tennis Australia via the Djokovic camp, that the Djokovic camp was not happy at all with those comments. <o:p></o:p>
"As such I immediately contacted the Djokovic camp and issued and apology to them -- 48 hours ago -- for any disrespect that Novak felt, that I had caused.<o:p></o:p>
"As I stand here now I can only stand by that apology to Novak."<o:p></o:p>
The veteran broadcaster was live at Melbourne Park on Friday when a large group of Djokovic fans holding Serbian flags began cheering in the background behind him.<o:p></o:p>
Jones responded by singing to them: "Novak, he's overrated ... Novak's a has-been. Novak, kick him out."<o:p></o:p>
"I should also say the disrespect was extended, in many ways, to the Serbian fans," he said in his apology.<o:p></o:p>
"We have built up a nice rapport with the Serbian fans ... there is banter, and I thought what I was doing was an extension of that banter. Quite clearly that has not been interpreted that way.<o:p></o:p>
"I feel as though I've let down the Serbian fans. It has been an unfortunate situation."<o:p></o:p>
In a strongly worded statement issued before Jones's apology, the Serbian Council of Australia called for him to be sacked and said it had lodged a complaint with the Australian Human Rights Commission.<o:p></o:p>
"His comments are offensive, racist and only serve to incite further discrimination of Australian-Serbs," it said.<o:p></o:p>
Jones was also a target for American player Danielle Collins last week after he labelled her a "brat" when she thanked Australian Open hecklers for "paying my bills" in her defeat of home hope Destanee Aiava.
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Sports, Tennis: Djokovic great refused to do a routine on-court interview after beating Jiri Lehecka in three sets on Rod Laver Arena to make the quarter-finals on Sunday evening.

A leading TV presenter apologised on-air on Monday to Novak Djokovic after mocking the 24-time Grand Slam winner and his Serbian fans at the 0, saying it was meant to be banter. The 37-year-old tennis great refused to do a routine on-court interview after beating Jiri Lehecka in three sets on Rod Laver Arena to make the quarter-finals on Sunday evening. Afterwards he said it was in protest at Tony Jones, a top sports presenter with host broadcaster Channel Nine, who he accused of "insulting and offensive comments" towards him and Serbian fans. Also read | Indian Open 2025: I am far from my best, says two-time Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen Djokovic said he would boycott interviews with the TV station until he got an apology. "The comments were made on the news on the Friday night, which I considered to be banter. I considered it to be humour, which is consistent with most things I do," Jones said on Monday. "Having said that, I was made aware on Saturday morning, from Tennis Australia via the Djokovic camp, that the Djokovic camp was not happy at all with those comments. "As such I immediately contacted the Djokovic camp and issued and apology to them -- 48 hours ago -- for any disrespect that Novak felt, that I had caused. "As I stand here now I can only stand by that apology to Novak." The veteran broadcaster was live at Melbourne Park on Friday when a large group of Djokovic fans holding Serbian flags began cheering in the background behind him. Jones responded by singing to them: "Novak, he's overrated ... Novak's a has-been. Novak, kick him out." "I should also say the disrespect was extended, in many ways, to the Serbian fans," he said in his apology. "We have built up a nice rapport with the Serbian fans ... there is banter, and I thought what I was doing was an extension of that banter. Quite clearly that has not been interpreted that way. "I feel as though I've let down the Serbian fans. It has been an unfortunate situation." In a strongly worded statement issued before Jones's apology, the Serbian Council of Australia called for him to be sacked and said it had lodged a complaint with the Australian Human Rights Commission. "His comments are offensive, racist and only serve to incite further discrimination of Australian-Serbs," it said. Jones was also a target for American player Danielle Collins last week after he labelled her a "brat" when she thanked Australian Open hecklers for "paying my bills" in her defeat of home hope Destanee Aiava. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

TV presenter apologises for mocking Djokovic, Serbian fans at Australian Open

Serbian tennis star <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/novak-djokovic" rel="dofollow">Novak Djokovic</a> started the quest for the record 25th grand slam with a hard-fought win against the USA's Nishesh Basavareddy in Australia Open. Djokovic, playing first match with his 37-year-old coach and former rival Andy Murray, won 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 in first round on Monday (Jan 13).
<h2>Djokovic praises coach Murray</h2>
Novak Djokovic's announcement of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/andy-murray" rel="dofollow">Andy Murray</a> as the coach created a lot of buzz in the tennis world. The two 37-year-olds have been rivals since age 12 before Murray called time on his career at the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/paris-olympics" rel="dofollow">Paris Olympics 2024</a>. This was the duo's first official match at player-coach.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/khabib-nurmagomedov-airplane-row-video-russian-mma-fighter-khabib-removed-from-flight-in-usa-8618817" rel="dofollow">Khabib Nurmagomedov Airplane Row: Russian fighter speaks on being removed from flight in USA</a>
Djokovic was full of praise of Murray after the win and said: "A few times I did approach Andy, asked him something about whatever it was, whatever shot. He was giving me his feedback, his guidance and opinion."
"It's important. I enjoy talking to Andy. I mean, he knows tennis as well as anybody out there.
"I think he was doing great today," he added. "He was standing up several times, trying to encourage me and support me. I enjoyed it."&nbsp;
<h2>Basavareddy gets acknowledgement from Djokovic</h2>
The Serb was full of praise of his 19-year-old opponent Nishesh Basavareddy as well who is making his grand slam debut.
"I was very impressed by him. I think the whole stadium was really," Djokovic said after the match.
"Huge credit to him for stepping out in his debut in a Grand Slam, first time on a big court, playing the way he did play. So well done. &nbsp;I'm sure if he keeps going this way, he's very young, we are going to see quite a bit of him in the future," he added.
Indian-origin Basavareddy quit Stanford University to turn pro in December 2024. He had won the boys' double US Open 2022 with Ozan Baris at the junior level.

Novak Djokovic, playing first match with his 37-year-old coach and former rival Andy Murray, won 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 in first round on Monday (Jan 13). Sports

Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic started the quest for the record 25th grand slam with a hard-fought win against the USA's Nishesh Basavareddy in Australia Open. Djokovic, playing first match with his 37-year-old coach and former rival Andy Murray, won 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 in first round on Monday (Jan 13). Djokovic praises coach Murray Novak Djokovic's announcement of Andy Murray as the coach created a lot of buzz in the tennis world. The two 37-year-olds have been rivals since age 12 before Murray called time on his career at the Paris Olympics 2024. This was the duo's first official match at player-coach. Also Read: Khabib Nurmagomedov Airplane Row: Russian fighter speaks on being removed from flight in USA Djokovic was full of praise of Murray after the win and said: "A few times I did approach Andy, asked him something about whatever it was, whatever shot. He was giving me his feedback, his guidance and opinion." "It's important. I enjoy talking to Andy. I mean, he knows tennis as well as anybody out there. "I think he was doing great today," he added. "He was standing up several times, trying to encourage me and support me. I enjoyed it." Basavareddy gets acknowledgement from Djokovic The Serb was full of praise of his 19-year-old opponent Nishesh Basavareddy as well who is making his grand slam debut. "I was very impressed by him. I think the whole stadium was really," Djokovic said after the match. "Huge credit to him for stepping out in his debut in a Grand Slam, first time on a big court, playing the way he did play. So well done. I'm sure if he keeps going this way, he's very young, we are going to see quite a bit of him in the future," he added. Indian-origin Basavareddy quit Stanford University to turn pro in December 2024. He had won the boys' double US Open 2022 with Ozan Baris at the junior level.

Australian Open 2025: 'I enjoyed it,' says Novak Djokovic on first win with coach Andy Murray

Serbian tennis star <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/novak-djokovic">Novak Djokovic</a> had a jaw drop moment after a really high catch was caught at the boundary during the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/bbl">BBL T20</a> match between the Melbourne Stars vs Melbourne Renegades on Sunday (Jan 12). Djokovic is in the country for this year's first grand slam Australia Open which runs from January 12 to 26.
The catch was taken in the eighth over Stars' innings when skipper <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/marcus-stoinis">Marcus Stoinis</a> launched a ball from Kane Richardson down the ground. The ball went high in the sky before Tom Rogers caught it right on the boundary rope, leaving Djokovic speechless. Have a look at the video below:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Even <a href="https://twitter.com/DjokerNole?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DjokerNole</a> couldn't believe this! Marcus Stoinis gets caught after hitting a high ball, and Novak Djokovic reacts accordingly! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BBL14?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BBL14</a> <a href="https://t.co/7eaGv3xLza">pic.twitter.com/7eaGv3xLza</a>
&mdash; KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/BBL/status/1878365361927840069?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 12, 2025</a></blockquote>

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<h2>Maxwell rescues Stars again</h2>
Batting first after losing the toss at Melbourne's Docklands Stadium, Stars were in a pickle at 45/4 in 6.5 overs. The score soon became 75/7 in 11 overs before Maxwell took charge of the innings. He added 81 runs for the eighth wicket with Usama Mir who contributed nothing to the partnership.
Also Watch: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/bbl-scores-melbourne-stars-vs-melbourne-renegades-glenn-maxwell-122-metre-six-video-8612701" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">BBL, Melbourne Stars vs Melbourne Renegades: Maxwell hits MONSTROUS 122-metre six</a>
The runs came thick and fast and by the time Mir was sent back on the third ball of the 19th over, Stars were at 156. The innings eventually was over for 165 on the last ball of the designated 20 overs. Maxwell top scored with 90 off 52 balls, hitting 10 sixes and four fours.
Chasing the target, Renegades started horribly and could never get going after losing three wickets inside the powerplay. Stars' Mark Steketee was the pick of the bowlers with the figures of 5/17 in four overs, while Joel Paris took 3/13 in his four overs.
Peter Siddle and Beau Webster took one wicket each as Stars completed a comfortable 42-run win to jump from last place to fourth position on the points table.
Stars now have eight points with four wins and five losses from nine games while Sydney Sixers sit at top with 11 points from five wins in eight games.
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

Novak Djokovic was left with his jaw dropped after a really high catch was caught at boundary during the BBL T20 match between Melbourne Stars v Melbourne Renegades. Cricket Sports

Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic had a jaw drop moment after a really high catch was caught at the boundary during the BBL T20 match between the Melbourne Stars vs Melbourne Renegades on Sunday (Jan 12). Djokovic is in the country for this year's first grand slam Australia Open which runs from January 12 to 26. The catch was taken in the eighth over Stars' innings when skipper Marcus Stoinis launched a ball from Kane Richardson down the ground. The ball went high in the sky before Tom Rogers caught it right on the boundary rope, leaving Djokovic speechless. Have a look at the video below: Even @DjokerNole couldn't believe this! Marcus Stoinis gets caught after hitting a high ball, and Novak Djokovic reacts accordingly! #BBL14 pic.twitter.com/7eaGv3xLza — KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) January 12, 2025 Maxwell rescues Stars again Batting first after losing the toss at Melbourne's Docklands Stadium, Stars were in a pickle at 45/4 in 6.5 overs. The score soon became 75/7 in 11 overs before Maxwell took charge of the innings. He added 81 runs for the eighth wicket with Usama Mir who contributed nothing to the partnership. Also Watch: BBL, Melbourne Stars vs Melbourne Renegades: Maxwell hits MONSTROUS 122-metre six The runs came thick and fast and by the time Mir was sent back on the third ball of the 19th over, Stars were at 156. The innings eventually was over for 165 on the last ball of the designated 20 overs. Maxwell top scored with 90 off 52 balls, hitting 10 sixes and four fours. Chasing the target, Renegades started horribly and could never get going after losing three wickets inside the powerplay. Stars' Mark Steketee was the pick of the bowlers with the figures of 5/17 in four overs, while Joel Paris took 3/13 in his four overs. Peter Siddle and Beau Webster took one wicket each as Stars completed a comfortable 42-run win to jump from last place to fourth position on the points table. Stars now have eight points with four wins and five losses from nine games while Sydney Sixers sit at top with 11 points from five wins in eight games.

Novak Djokovic's JAW DROP moment in Stars v Renegades BBL match | WATCH

Former World No 1&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/search?title=Novak+Djokovic" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Novak Djokovic</a> has made a shocking revelation ahead of the 2025 <a href="https://www.wionews.com/search?title=Australian+Open" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Australian Open</a> just days before the tournament begins. Djokovic on Thursday (Jan 9) claimed that he was poisoned before being deported from Australia in 2022 for not getting vaccinated for Covid-19. The revelation has left everyone stunned, with the Australian Home Ministry reported to have already started an investigation into the matter.
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Djokovic makes a shocking revelation</h2>
"I had some health issues. And I realised that in that hotel in Melbourne, I was fed some food that poisoned me," the 37-year-old Djokovic told GQ magazine in a lengthy interview published on Thursday.
"I had some discoveries when I came back to Serbia. I never told this to anybody publicly, but discoveries that I had a really high level of heavy metal. I had lead, a very high level of lead and mercury."
In 2022, Djokovic was deported for not taking the Covid-19 jab which was mandatory for every international tourist in Australia.&nbsp;
The 24-time Grand Slam champion despite arriving at the Australian airport in 2022 was asked to leave.
Djokovic also initiated legal help to participate in the Australian Open but failed to convince the authorities.
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The Serbian would later return to win the Australian Open for the 10th time in 2023 after beating Daniil Medvedev in the final.
This also saw him become the second male player to win a singles Grand Slam title 10 or more times, joining&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/search?title=Rafael+Nadal%E2%80%99s" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Rafael Nadal&rsquo;s</a> 14 French Open triumphs.
Djokovic will be chasing history at the Australian Open 2025 as he targets a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title.
He is currently level with Margaret Court for most singles Grand Slam titles -male or female- while he already holds the tag of the most successful singles athlete at Melbourne Park with 10 titles.
(With Inputs from Agencies)

Sports, Tennis |  Novak Djokovic poisoning allegation: The tennis star on Thursday (Jan 9) claimed that he was poisoned before being deported from Australia in 2022 for not getting vaccinated for Covid-19. 

Former World No 1 Novak Djokovic has made a shocking revelation ahead of the 2025 Australian Open just days before the tournament begins. Djokovic on Thursday (Jan 9) claimed that he was poisoned before being deported from Australia in 2022 for not getting vaccinated for Covid-19. The revelation has left everyone stunned, with the Australian Home Ministry reported to have already started an investigation into the matter. Djokovic makes a shocking revelation "I had some health issues. And I realised that in that hotel in Melbourne, I was fed some food that poisoned me," the 37-year-old Djokovic told GQ magazine in a lengthy interview published on Thursday. "I had some discoveries when I came back to Serbia. I never told this to anybody publicly, but discoveries that I had a really high level of heavy metal. I had lead, a very high level of lead and mercury." In 2022, Djokovic was deported for not taking the Covid-19 jab which was mandatory for every international tourist in Australia. The 24-time Grand Slam champion despite arriving at the Australian airport in 2022 was asked to leave. Djokovic also initiated legal help to participate in the Australian Open but failed to convince the authorities. ALSO READ | Delayed renovation work at Pakistan's Champions Trophy venues worries ICC The Serbian would later return to win the Australian Open for the 10th time in 2023 after beating Daniil Medvedev in the final. This also saw him become the second male player to win a singles Grand Slam title 10 or more times, joining Rafael Nadal’s 14 French Open triumphs. Djokovic will be chasing history at the Australian Open 2025 as he targets a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title. He is currently level with Margaret Court for most singles Grand Slam titles -male or female- while he already holds the tag of the most successful singles athlete at Melbourne Park with 10 titles. (With Inputs from Agencies)

Novak Djokovic makes shocking revelation, claims he was 'poisoned' before 2022 Australian Open

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/search?title=Australian+Open" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Australian Open</a> 2025 will have some interesting battles as 24-time Grand Slam champion <a href="https://www.wionews.com/search?title=Novak+Djokovic" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Novak Djokovic</a> is projected to face <a href="https://www.wionews.com/search?title=Carlos+Alcaraz" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Carlos Alcaraz</a> in the quarterfinal. The draws made on Thursday (Jan 9) will see Djokovic start his journey against Nishesh Basavareddy of the United States and could face Germany&rsquo;s Alexander Zverev in the semis. Other notable ties in the first round include, three-time runner-up Daniil Medvedev, who will take on Thai wildcard Kasidit Samrej in the opening round. <o:p></o:p>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Novak bids for 11th title<o:p></o:p></h2>
Having made the Australian Open his own backyard with 10 singles titles, Djokovic will start against Basavareddy starting on Monday. The Serb has been handed a tough draw in the Australian Open and could find it tough to add another title to his impressive hat. Djokovic went 2024 without a Grand Slam title for the first time since 2010. His peak moment arrived at the Paris Olympics where he beat Carlos Alcaraz to win the gold medal. <o:p></o:p>
The duo could meet again in the quarterfinal. It won&rsquo;t get any easier for the legendary star who could face Zverev in the semis.&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>
Other notable ties include, Taylor Fritz, who takes on fellow American Jenson Brooksby in the first round while his projected route includes Jannik Sinner in the semis. Zverev begins his campaign against French wildcard Lucas Pouille as he aims to start 2025 on a high.
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<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Sabalenka faces Sloane Stephens in round one<o:p></o:p></h2>
In a sensational draw on the women&rsquo;s side, defending champions Aryna Sabalenka will take on 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens. Sabalenka will be targeting her third consecutive title at Melbourne Park having impressed throughout 2024. Former champion Naomi Osaka will meet Frenchwoman Caroline Garcia in what is a repeat of last year&rsquo;s final. Osaka has been in great touch but is in the headlines for her off-court issues so it will be interesting to see how far she goes. <o:p></o:p>
Paris Olympics gold medalist Zheng Qinwen, runner-up last year at the Australian Open will face a qualifier as she starts with an easy run.<o:p></o:p>

Sports, Tennis: Novak Djokovic will start his journey against Nishesh Basavareddy of the United States and could face Germany’s Alexander Zverev in the semis

Australian Open 2025 will have some interesting battles as 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic is projected to face Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinal. The draws made on Thursday (Jan 9) will see Djokovic start his journey against Nishesh Basavareddy of the United States and could face Germany’s Alexander Zverev in the semis. Other notable ties in the first round include, three-time runner-up Daniil Medvedev, who will take on Thai wildcard Kasidit Samrej in the opening round. Novak bids for 11th title Having made the Australian Open his own backyard with 10 singles titles, Djokovic will start against Basavareddy starting on Monday. The Serb has been handed a tough draw in the Australian Open and could find it tough to add another title to his impressive hat. Djokovic went 2024 without a Grand Slam title for the first time since 2010. His peak moment arrived at the Paris Olympics where he beat Carlos Alcaraz to win the gold medal. The duo could meet again in the quarterfinal. It won’t get any easier for the legendary star who could face Zverev in the semis. Other notable ties include, Taylor Fritz, who takes on fellow American Jenson Brooksby in the first round while his projected route includes Jannik Sinner in the semis. Zverev begins his campaign against French wildcard Lucas Pouille as he aims to start 2025 on a high. ALSO READ | Dani Olmo, Pau Víctor granted temporary registration as Barcelona reach Super Cup final Sabalenka faces Sloane Stephens in round one In a sensational draw on the women’s side, defending champions Aryna Sabalenka will take on 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens. Sabalenka will be targeting her third consecutive title at Melbourne Park having impressed throughout 2024. Former champion Naomi Osaka will meet Frenchwoman Caroline Garcia in what is a repeat of last year’s final. Osaka has been in great touch but is in the headlines for her off-court issues so it will be interesting to see how far she goes. Paris Olympics gold medalist Zheng Qinwen, runner-up last year at the Australian Open will face a qualifier as she starts with an easy run.

Australian Open 2025 draw: Novak Djokovic projected to face Carlos Alcaraz in QF; Medvedev faces Samrej in R1

Former world number one Novak Djokovic's Australian Open preparations suffered a blow Friday as he was bundled out of the Brisbane International by towering American Reilly Opelka.
The 2.11 metre (six feet 11 inches) Opelka served magnificently and returned just as well to stun the 24-time Grand Slam winner 7-6 (8/6), 6-3.
Djokovic had gone into the tournament insisting that at 37 he still had the game to trouble the younger players.
But Opelka, 27, a former world number 17 who was out of the game for almost two years from 2022-24 following hip and wrist surgeries, dominated the Serb and wrapped up a comfortable win in an hour and 40 minutes.
Opelka came back to the sport in July last year but showed his serve has lost none of its potency in his time away.
He served 16 aces and only faced one break point throughout the match.
"He's the greatest player ever," Opelka said of Djokovic.
"The reality is we have nothing to lose coming in against him. You end up playing more freely and you take a lot more risks because it's your only chance of beating him.
"It's tough for him, because you get guys like me who are going to roll the dice, and on a day like this things go my way, and that's how it worked out."
Opelka now faces another huge server in the semi-finals, rising French star Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, who made it 75 aces in three matches as he beat Czech player Jakub Mensik, 7-5, 7-6 (7/5).
<h2>Sabalenka through</h2>
The second semi-final will see defending champion and second seed Grigor Dimitrov up against another Czech, Jiri Lehecka.
In the women's semi-finals, world number one Aryna Sabalenka overpowered Marie Bouzkova in straight sets.
Sabalenka, who has won the last two titles at the Grand Slam in Melbourne, beat the Czech player 6-3, 6-4 in a tough match lasting 1hr 45mins.
She now plays Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva, who defeated Tunisia's Ons Jabeur 6-4, 7-6 (7/2).
The 17-year-old Andreeva showcased her rich potential by defeating former world number two Jabeur in a high-quality encounter.
Jabeur was runner-up at Wimbledon in 2022 and 2023 but has been out of action since August with a shoulder injury.
Andreeva was able to deal with the tricky shotmaking of Jabeur, breaking her once in the first set and then recovering from two breaks of her own serve in the second set to force a tiebreak.
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She raced through the tiebreak to wrap up the match in 90 minutes.
"It was mentally hard to keep pushing and playing aggressively because we all know that she's very good at playing games -- drop shots, slices," Andreeva said.
The second women's semi-final will be between Russian qualifier Polina Kudermetova and Ukraine's Anhelina Kalinina.
The Australian Open starts on January 12.
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Sports, Tennis: Former Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic had gone into the tournament insisting that at 37 he still had the game to trouble the younger players.

Former world number one Novak Djokovic's Australian Open preparations suffered a blow Friday as he was bundled out of the Brisbane International by towering American Reilly Opelka. The 2.11 metre (six feet 11 inches) Opelka served magnificently and returned just as well to stun the 24-time Grand Slam winner 7-6 (8/6), 6-3. Djokovic had gone into the tournament insisting that at 37 he still had the game to trouble the younger players. But Opelka, 27, a former world number 17 who was out of the game for almost two years from 2022-24 following hip and wrist surgeries, dominated the Serb and wrapped up a comfortable win in an hour and 40 minutes. Opelka came back to the sport in July last year but showed his serve has lost none of its potency in his time away. He served 16 aces and only faced one break point throughout the match. "He's the greatest player ever," Opelka said of Djokovic. "The reality is we have nothing to lose coming in against him. You end up playing more freely and you take a lot more risks because it's your only chance of beating him. "It's tough for him, because you get guys like me who are going to roll the dice, and on a day like this things go my way, and that's how it worked out." Opelka now faces another huge server in the semi-finals, rising French star Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, who made it 75 aces in three matches as he beat Czech player Jakub Mensik, 7-5, 7-6 (7/5). Sabalenka through The second semi-final will see defending champion and second seed Grigor Dimitrov up against another Czech, Jiri Lehecka. In the women's semi-finals, world number one Aryna Sabalenka overpowered Marie Bouzkova in straight sets. Sabalenka, who has won the last two titles at the Grand Slam in Melbourne, beat the Czech player 6-3, 6-4 in a tough match lasting 1hr 45mins. She now plays Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva, who defeated Tunisia's Ons Jabeur 6-4, 7-6 (7/2). The 17-year-old Andreeva showcased her rich potential by defeating former world number two Jabeur in a high-quality encounter. Jabeur was runner-up at Wimbledon in 2022 and 2023 but has been out of action since August with a shoulder injury. Andreeva was able to deal with the tricky shotmaking of Jabeur, breaking her once in the first set and then recovering from two breaks of her own serve in the second set to force a tiebreak. ALSO READ | BGT 2024/25: Team India did not celebrate record-breaking Perth win as dressing room issues broaden - Report She raced through the tiebreak to wrap up the match in 90 minutes. "It was mentally hard to keep pushing and playing aggressively because we all know that she's very good at playing games -- drop shots, slices," Andreeva said. The second women's semi-final will be between Russian qualifier Polina Kudermetova and Ukraine's Anhelina Kalinina. The Australian Open starts on January 12. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Brisbane International: Novak Djokovic's Australian Open preparations take hit with loss to Reilly Opelka

Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka were in ominous form ahead of the Australian Open as both powered into the Brisbane International quarter-finals on Thursday.
<h2>Djokovic in quarters</h2>
On a day when rising stars Mirra Andreeva and Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard underlined their potential, Djokovic cruised past fellow veteran Gael Monfils 6-3, 6-3 in 72 minutes.
In the women's draw, world number one Sabalenka -- who is aiming to win the Australian Open for the third time in a row -- beat Kazakhstan's Yulia Putintseva 7-6 (7/2), 6-4.
Djokovic and Monfils played an entertaining match, but the 37-year-old Serb was always in control as he notched his 20th straight win over the Frenchman.
Former world number one Djokovic plays giant American Reilly Opelka in the last eight.
"We've been playing a long time, I've known Gael since I was 15 and he was 16," said Djokovic, who is pursuing a record 25th Grand Slam singles title when the Australian Open begins on January 12.
"I've had a good score against him over the years but we've had some incredible battles on different surfaces.
"Hopefully we can play some more before we both retire."
The 17-year-old Russian Andreeva demolished Linda Noskova 6-3, 6-0 in the women's draw while Mpetshi Perricard downed fourth-seeded American Frances Tiafoe 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) to reach the quarter-finals.
A year after losing to the same player at the season-opening event, Andreeva displayed her improvement over 2024 with a 63-minute romp over the Czech Republic's Noskova.
The teenager faces Ons Jabeur of Tunisia next.
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"Last year she (Noskova) almost killed me in the quarter-finals so I was thinking it's time to take my revenge," Andreeva said.
The Russian started the year ranked 16th in the world and is tipped by many to challenge for a Grand Slam in 2025.
"My number one goal for the 2025 season is to crack the top 10," said Andreeva, who is coached by former Wimbledon champion Conchita Martinez.
The towering Mpetshi Perricard, 21, who beat Australian Nick Kyrgios in an entertaining round-one clash, again served superbly to defeat US Open semi-finalist Tiafoe.
After serving 36 aces in his three-set win over Kyrgios, the Frenchman sent down another 20 against the more experienced Tiafoe.
Mpetshi Perricard plays the 19-year-old Czech Jakub Mensik.
"It was a good match, not very easy to play against Francis," Mpetshi Perricard said.
"The first set was very tight on serve but I managed to put some pressure on his second serve and it worked."
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Sports, Tennis: Djokovic and Monfils played an entertaining match, but the 37-year-old Serb was always in control as he notched his 20th straight win over the Frenchman.

Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka were in ominous form ahead of the Australian Open as both powered into the Brisbane International quarter-finals on Thursday. Djokovic in quarters On a day when rising stars Mirra Andreeva and Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard underlined their potential, Djokovic cruised past fellow veteran Gael Monfils 6-3, 6-3 in 72 minutes. In the women's draw, world number one Sabalenka -- who is aiming to win the Australian Open for the third time in a row -- beat Kazakhstan's Yulia Putintseva 7-6 (7/2), 6-4. Djokovic and Monfils played an entertaining match, but the 37-year-old Serb was always in control as he notched his 20th straight win over the Frenchman. Former world number one Djokovic plays giant American Reilly Opelka in the last eight. "We've been playing a long time, I've known Gael since I was 15 and he was 16," said Djokovic, who is pursuing a record 25th Grand Slam singles title when the Australian Open begins on January 12. "I've had a good score against him over the years but we've had some incredible battles on different surfaces. "Hopefully we can play some more before we both retire." The 17-year-old Russian Andreeva demolished Linda Noskova 6-3, 6-0 in the women's draw while Mpetshi Perricard downed fourth-seeded American Frances Tiafoe 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) to reach the quarter-finals. A year after losing to the same player at the season-opening event, Andreeva displayed her improvement over 2024 with a 63-minute romp over the Czech Republic's Noskova. The teenager faces Ons Jabeur of Tunisia next. ALSO READ | BGT: Gautam Gambhir reacts to reports of Indian dressing room leaks, says THIS "Last year she (Noskova) almost killed me in the quarter-finals so I was thinking it's time to take my revenge," Andreeva said. The Russian started the year ranked 16th in the world and is tipped by many to challenge for a Grand Slam in 2025. "My number one goal for the 2025 season is to crack the top 10," said Andreeva, who is coached by former Wimbledon champion Conchita Martinez. The towering Mpetshi Perricard, 21, who beat Australian Nick Kyrgios in an entertaining round-one clash, again served superbly to defeat US Open semi-finalist Tiafoe. After serving 36 aces in his three-set win over Kyrgios, the Frenchman sent down another 20 against the more experienced Tiafoe. Mpetshi Perricard plays the 19-year-old Czech Jakub Mensik. "It was a good match, not very easy to play against Francis," Mpetshi Perricard said. "The first set was very tight on serve but I managed to put some pressure on his second serve and it worked." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Brisbane International: Novak Djokovic, Aryna Sabalenka into quarters as rising stars impress

Australian wildcard Kimberly Birrell stunned second seed Emma Navarro on Wednesday while the doubles act of Novak Djokovic and Nick Kyrgios came to a shuddering halt at the Brisbane International.
But it was all smiles from defending men's champion Grigor Dimitrov, who powered into the quarter-finals in straight sets.
In the opening match on Pat Rafter Arena, Birrell matched world number eight Navarro stroke-for-stroke to put a dent in the American's Australian Open preparations.
Navarro had a stellar 2024, going deep in all four Grand Slams including a run to the semi-finals of the US Open.
She was expected to brush aside the challenge of 26-year-old Birrell, who has never broken into the top 100 in her 10 years on the WTA Tour.
But the Australian, who trains at the Queensland Tennis Centre and is ranked 113, was not intimidated and delighted her home crowd with a nerveless display.
Birrell, who will face 35th-ranked Russian Anastasia Potapova in the last 16, said she embraced the role of underdog.
"I guess it's kind of like one of those situations where you have no choice, you just have to go for it," she said.
"That was kind of the attitude I had going into today -- I think that really benefited me, along with having played a lot of hours on this court here."
Dimitrov continued his love affair with Brisbane by easing past another Australian&nbsp;wildcard, Aleksandar Vukic, 6-2, 7-6 (7/5).
The Bulgarian world number 10 raced through the first set then held off Vukic as the Australian raised his game in the second.
"I'm starting to find my game but I think there is still a lot to do," said Dimitrov, who has won the tournament twice and finished runner-up once.
"So hopefully with each match I can build up a little bit more and play better and better."
He will play either Australian Jordan Thompson or American Alex Michelson for a place in the last four.
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<h2>Djokovic and Kyrgios out&nbsp;</h2>
Djokovic and Kyrgios teamed up for a rare doubles appearance this week, but after winning a close first round were stopped by top seeds Michael Venus of New Zealand and Croatia's Nikola Mektic 6-2, 3-6, 10/8.
Venus and Mektic came from three points down to clinch the match tiebreak.
"Playing those guys, they hit some unbelievable shots," Venus said.
"Down three points in the tiebreak, the way they were serving, it wasn't looking great but somehow we got back in there."
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Sports, Tennis: Djokovic and Kyrgios teamed up for a rare doubles appearance this week after winning a close first round at the Brisbane International.

Australian wildcard Kimberly Birrell stunned second seed Emma Navarro on Wednesday while the doubles act of Novak Djokovic and Nick Kyrgios came to a shuddering halt at the Brisbane International. But it was all smiles from defending men's champion Grigor Dimitrov, who powered into the quarter-finals in straight sets. In the opening match on Pat Rafter Arena, Birrell matched world number eight Navarro stroke-for-stroke to put a dent in the American's Australian Open preparations. Navarro had a stellar 2024, going deep in all four Grand Slams including a run to the semi-finals of the US Open. She was expected to brush aside the challenge of 26-year-old Birrell, who has never broken into the top 100 in her 10 years on the WTA Tour. But the Australian, who trains at the Queensland Tennis Centre and is ranked 113, was not intimidated and delighted her home crowd with a nerveless display. Birrell, who will face 35th-ranked Russian Anastasia Potapova in the last 16, said she embraced the role of underdog. "I guess it's kind of like one of those situations where you have no choice, you just have to go for it," she said. "That was kind of the attitude I had going into today -- I think that really benefited me, along with having played a lot of hours on this court here." Dimitrov continued his love affair with Brisbane by easing past another Australian wildcard, Aleksandar Vukic, 6-2, 7-6 (7/5). The Bulgarian world number 10 raced through the first set then held off Vukic as the Australian raised his game in the second. "I'm starting to find my game but I think there is still a lot to do," said Dimitrov, who has won the tournament twice and finished runner-up once. "So hopefully with each match I can build up a little bit more and play better and better." He will play either Australian Jordan Thompson or American Alex Michelson for a place in the last four. ALSO READ | IND vs ENG: Bumrah, Kohli to be rested for ODI series; to return for Champions Trophy 2025 - Report Djokovic and Kyrgios out Djokovic and Kyrgios teamed up for a rare doubles appearance this week, but after winning a close first round were stopped by top seeds Michael Venus of New Zealand and Croatia's Nikola Mektic 6-2, 3-6, 10/8. Venus and Mektic came from three points down to clinch the match tiebreak. "Playing those guys, they hit some unbelievable shots," Venus said. "Down three points in the tiebreak, the way they were serving, it wasn't looking great but somehow we got back in there." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Brisbane Open: Emma Navarro stunned by wildcard as Djokovic-Kyrgios doubles run ends

Novak Djokovic said Sunday he planned to keep playing for "years to come" -- with more tournaments on his schedule in 2025 -- as he looks to take down the new guard led by Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. 
The 37-year-old had a disappointing campaign last year by his standards, failing to win a Grand Slam and claiming just one title -- Olympic gold in Paris.<o:p></o:p>
He has slipped to number seven in the world and said he wanted to get his ranking back to "where it should be".<o:p></o:p>
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tennis-novak-djokovic-calls-for-more-transparency-around-doping-suspensions-8574694" rel="dofollow">Tennis: Djokovic calls for more transparency around doping suspensions</a> 
"I'm looking for a good start to the season, I'm looking for more consistency across all the tournaments," he said as he prepared to play at the Brisbane International this week. "I'm looking to play more tournaments this year than I played last season, so hopefully also my level is going to go up.<o:p></o:p>
"Hopefully, I will win a few more tournaments and my ranking will go up to where it should be."<o:p></o:p>
The 24-time Grand Slam champion is beginning a season for the first time without any of the other so-called "Big Four" on the other side of the net following the retirements this year of Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray. <o:p></o:p>
Roger Federer called it quits in 2022.<o:p></o:p>
As they faded, Sinner and Alcaraz stepped up to become the new Grand Slam kings.<o:p></o:p>
Djokovic, who is targeting an 11th Australian Open title next month and a record 25th Grand Slam crown, said he had no thoughts of retirement despite turning 38 in May.<o:p></o:p>
"The way I'm feeling today, I still think that I can go strong for years to come," he said. "But, how long I'm going to feel motivated to keep going is unpredictable."<o:p></o:p>
"I still love this sport and I still love competing."<o:p></o:p>
The Serb, the top seed, starts his campaign against Australian wildcard Rinky Hijikata in what will be his first official tournament since losing to Sinner in the final of the 2024 Shanghai Masters in October.<o:p></o:p>
Djokovic will also play doubles alongside Nick Kyrgios, who is making a competitive return after playing just one ATP Tour singles match in two years following knee, foot and wrist injuries.<o:p></o:p>
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The 37-year-old had a disappointing campaign last year by his standards, failing to win a Grand Slam and claiming just one title -- Olympic gold in Paris.

Novak Djokovic said Sunday he planned to keep playing for "years to come" -- with more tournaments on his schedule in 2025 -- as he looks to take down the new guard led by Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. The 37-year-old had a disappointing campaign last year by his standards, failing to win a Grand Slam and claiming just one title -- Olympic gold in Paris. He has slipped to number seven in the world and said he wanted to get his ranking back to "where it should be". Also read | Tennis: Djokovic calls for more transparency around doping suspensions "I'm looking for a good start to the season, I'm looking for more consistency across all the tournaments," he said as he prepared to play at the Brisbane International this week. "I'm looking to play more tournaments this year than I played last season, so hopefully also my level is going to go up. "Hopefully, I will win a few more tournaments and my ranking will go up to where it should be." The 24-time Grand Slam champion is beginning a season for the first time without any of the other so-called "Big Four" on the other side of the net following the retirements this year of Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray. Roger Federer called it quits in 2022. As they faded, Sinner and Alcaraz stepped up to become the new Grand Slam kings. Djokovic, who is targeting an 11th Australian Open title next month and a record 25th Grand Slam crown, said he had no thoughts of retirement despite turning 38 in May. "The way I'm feeling today, I still think that I can go strong for years to come," he said. "But, how long I'm going to feel motivated to keep going is unpredictable." "I still love this sport and I still love competing." The Serb, the top seed, starts his campaign against Australian wildcard Rinky Hijikata in what will be his first official tournament since losing to Sinner in the final of the 2024 Shanghai Masters in October. Djokovic will also play doubles alongside Nick Kyrgios, who is making a competitive return after playing just one ATP Tour singles match in two years following knee, foot and wrist injuries. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Novak Djokovic admits planning to keep playing for ‘years to come’

Novak Djokovic on Sunday called for more transparency around doping suspensions in tennis, saying high-ranked players appeared to be treated differently to others. The 24-time Grand Slam champion agreed with Australian Nick Kyrgios, who on Saturday said integrity in the sport was "awful".<o:p></o:p>
They were speaking in the wake of doping violations by world number ones Italian Jannik Sinner and Poland's Iga Swiatek during 2024.<o:p></o:p>
The 37-year-old Djokovic, who will play doubles with Kyrgios at the Brisbane International this week, said there needed to be far greater transparency from the sport's governing bodies around doping violations. And he said that it appeared that top players such as Sinner and Swiatek were being treated differently from those further down the rankings.<o:p></o:p>
"I think Nick has some fair points when it comes to transparency and inconsistency with protocols and case-to-case comparables," the Serbian said. "We have some players who have been waiting for over a year for their case to be resolved, so the issue is the inconsistency and the transparency."<o:p></o:p>
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tennis-integrity-is-awful-nick-kyrgios-on-punishment-for-jannik-sinners-failed-dope-test-8573583" rel="dofollow">&lsquo;Tennis&rsquo; integrity is awful,&rsquo; Kyrgios on punishment for Sinner&rsquo;s failed dope test</a> 
While Djokovic said he believed Sinner when he said he tested positive to the steroid clostebol due to contamination from his physiotherapist, he asserted that the players had been "kept in the dark" throughout the whole process.<o:p></o:p>
"I've been really frustrated, as have most of the other players, that we've been kept in the dark for five months," Djokovic said. "He (Sinner) received the news (of the positive tests) in April and the announcement was not until August, just before the US Open.<o:p></o:p>
"The ATP has not really talked in depth about why they kept that case away from the public.<o:p></o:p>
"Then we had (Simona) Halep's case and Swiatek's case on the WTA Tour and it's not a good look for our sport."<o:p></o:p>
<h2>'It's awful'<o:p></o:p></h2>
Sinner twice tested positive for clostebol in March.<o:p></o:p>
However, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) accepted his argument that the steroid entered his system due to contamination and opted not to suspend him.<o:p></o:p>
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) subsequently appealed the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, with a verdict pending.<o:p></o:p>
Swiatek tested positive for the heart medication trimetazidine (TMZ) in an out-of-competition sample in August when she was ranked number one.<o:p></o:p>
As with Sinner, the ITIA accepted that Swiatek's violation was not intentional and she received only a one-month ban. <o:p></o:p>
In contrast, Halep was handed a four-year ban by the ITIA in 2022 after testing positive for roxadustat.<o:p></o:p>
She argued it was the result of a tainted supplement and successfully appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which reduced her suspension to nine months and she returned to the court in March.<o:p></o:p>
"I'm just questioning the way the system works," said Djokovic. "Why are certain players not treated the same as other players -- maybe there's some ranking reasons behind it, or maybe others have more financial backing behind them or stronger legal teams."<o:p></o:p>
Kyrgios has been scathing about the ITIA decision involving Sinner.<o:p></o:p>
"Tennis integrity right now, and everyone knows it, but no one wants to speak about it -- it's awful," the Australian said on Saturday, adding that said the sport's image was being tarnished.<o:p></o:p>
"I just think that it's been handled horrifically in our sport," said Kyrgios.<o:p></o:p>
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic agreed with Australian Nick Kyrgios, who on Saturday said integrity in the sport was "awful". 

Novak Djokovic on Sunday called for more transparency around doping suspensions in tennis, saying high-ranked players appeared to be treated differently to others. The 24-time Grand Slam champion agreed with Australian Nick Kyrgios, who on Saturday said integrity in the sport was "awful". They were speaking in the wake of doping violations by world number ones Italian Jannik Sinner and Poland's Iga Swiatek during 2024. The 37-year-old Djokovic, who will play doubles with Kyrgios at the Brisbane International this week, said there needed to be far greater transparency from the sport's governing bodies around doping violations. And he said that it appeared that top players such as Sinner and Swiatek were being treated differently from those further down the rankings. "I think Nick has some fair points when it comes to transparency and inconsistency with protocols and case-to-case comparables," the Serbian said. "We have some players who have been waiting for over a year for their case to be resolved, so the issue is the inconsistency and the transparency." Also read | ‘Tennis’ integrity is awful,’ Kyrgios on punishment for Sinner’s failed dope test While Djokovic said he believed Sinner when he said he tested positive to the steroid clostebol due to contamination from his physiotherapist, he asserted that the players had been "kept in the dark" throughout the whole process. "I've been really frustrated, as have most of the other players, that we've been kept in the dark for five months," Djokovic said. "He (Sinner) received the news (of the positive tests) in April and the announcement was not until August, just before the US Open. "The ATP has not really talked in depth about why they kept that case away from the public. "Then we had (Simona) Halep's case and Swiatek's case on the WTA Tour and it's not a good look for our sport." 'It's awful' Sinner twice tested positive for clostebol in March. However, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) accepted his argument that the steroid entered his system due to contamination and opted not to suspend him. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) subsequently appealed the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, with a verdict pending. Swiatek tested positive for the heart medication trimetazidine (TMZ) in an out-of-competition sample in August when she was ranked number one. As with Sinner, the ITIA accepted that Swiatek's violation was not intentional and she received only a one-month ban. In contrast, Halep was handed a four-year ban by the ITIA in 2022 after testing positive for roxadustat. She argued it was the result of a tainted supplement and successfully appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which reduced her suspension to nine months and she returned to the court in March. "I'm just questioning the way the system works," said Djokovic. "Why are certain players not treated the same as other players -- maybe there's some ranking reasons behind it, or maybe others have more financial backing behind them or stronger legal teams." Kyrgios has been scathing about the ITIA decision involving Sinner. "Tennis integrity right now, and everyone knows it, but no one wants to speak about it -- it's awful," the Australian said on Saturday, adding that said the sport's image was being tarnished. "I just think that it's been handled horrifically in our sport," said Kyrgios. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Tennis: Djokovic calls for more transparency around doping suspensions

Novak Djokovic said shared experiences with Andy Murray make the Scot the "perfect coach" as he bids to win a record 25th Grand Slam in Australia in January. Murray, a three-time major winner, retired after the Paris Olympics at the age of 37, finally admitting defeat in his long battle against injury.

Last week Djokovic made the surprise announcement that he was teaming up with his long-time British rival in the off-season and in the build-up to the first Grand Slam of the year. He admitted Murray, born just a week before himself, was caught off-guard but that they "connected really fast".

"I was trying to figure out what I need at this stage of my career, because I stopped with my (former) coach Goran Ivanisevic, who I was very successful with and worked for many years, in March," Djokovic told Sky Sports. "So, I took about six months to really think about if I need a coach and, if yes, who that's going to be and the profile of the coach.

"We were going through names and I realised that the perfect coach for me at this point would be someone who has been through the experiences I am going through, possibly a multiple Grand Slam winner, a former (world) number one.

"I was thinking about different people and a discussion about Andy Murray appeared on the table with me and my team."

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tennis/news-simona-halep-rounds-on-tennis-doping-body-for-iga-swiatek-leniency-780233">Simona Halep rounds on tennis doping body for Iga Swiatek leniency</a>

Djokovic, who ended his wait for Olympic gold in Paris this year, is tied with Margaret Court for the most Grand Slam titles won by any player but 2024 is the first year he has not lifted a major since 2017.

The Serbian, who said the collaboration was also a surprise to him, hopes adding Murray to his team will help him challenge Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, who have established a new power base at the top of the men's game.

"I still will try to go strong because I feel like my body is serving me well. I still have motivation to win Grand Slams, make more history," Djokovic said. "That's one of the biggest reasons why I asked Andy to work with me, because I still have big plans, so as long as that's the case, I will keep going."

The two players were members of the so-called "Big Four", along with Rafael Nadal, who retired earlier this month, and Roger Federer, who left the sport in 2022.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Novak Djokovic said shared experiences with Andy Murray make the Scot the "perfect coach" as he bids to win a record 25th Grand Slam in Australia in January. Murray, a three-time major winner, retired after the Paris Olympics at the age of 37, finally admitting defeat in his long battle against injury.

Novak Djokovic said shared experiences with Andy Murray make the Scot the "perfect coach" as he bids to win a record 25th Grand Slam in Australia in January. Murray, a three-time major winner, retired after the Paris Olympics at the age of 37, finally admitting defeat in his long battle against injury. Last week Djokovic made the surprise announcement that he was teaming up with his long-time British rival in the off-season and in the build-up to the first Grand Slam of the year. He admitted Murray, born just a week before himself, was caught off-guard but that they "connected really fast". "I was trying to figure out what I need at this stage of my career, because I stopped with my (former) coach Goran Ivanisevic, who I was very successful with and worked for many years, in March," Djokovic told Sky Sports. "So, I took about six months to really think about if I need a coach and, if yes, who that's going to be and the profile of the coach. "We were going through names and I realised that the perfect coach for me at this point would be someone who has been through the experiences I am going through, possibly a multiple Grand Slam winner, a former (world) number one. "I was thinking about different people and a discussion about Andy Murray appeared on the table with me and my team." ALSO READ: Simona Halep rounds on tennis doping body for Iga Swiatek leniency Djokovic, who ended his wait for Olympic gold in Paris this year, is tied with Margaret Court for the most Grand Slam titles won by any player but 2024 is the first year he has not lifted a major since 2017. The Serbian, who said the collaboration was also a surprise to him, hopes adding Murray to his team will help him challenge Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, who have established a new power base at the top of the men's game. "I still will try to go strong because I feel like my body is serving me well. I still have motivation to win Grand Slams, make more history," Djokovic said. "That's one of the biggest reasons why I asked Andy to work with me, because I still have big plans, so as long as that's the case, I will keep going." The two players were members of the so-called "Big Four", along with Rafael Nadal, who retired earlier this month, and Roger Federer, who left the sport in 2022. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Tennis great Novak Djokovic explains what makes Andy Murray a ‘perfect coach’

Novak Djokovic announced on Saturday that his retired long-time rival Andy Murray is joining the 24-time Grand Slam-winning player's coaching team, starting at the Australian Open in January.

"I'm thrilled to have one of my biggest rivals on the same side of the net with me, this time as my coach. I look forward to starting the season with Andy and having him by my side in Melbourne, where we've shared many exceptional moments throughout our careers," Djokovic said in a statement.

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Murray, a three-time Grand Slam champion who retired from competitive tennis in August, said: "I am very excited about this and look forward to being on the same side of the net for a change.

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He never liked retirement anyway. 🙌 <a href="https://t.co/Ga4UlV2kQW">pic.twitter.com/Ga4UlV2kQW</a>
— Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) <a href="https://twitter.com/DjokerNole/status/1860352532813414908?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 23, 2024</a></blockquote>
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"I'm also grateful for the opportunity to help him achieve his goals for the upcoming year."

Djokovic posted a video on X of him and Murray during the Scotsman's playing career, jokingly titled: "He never liked retirement anyway."

The 37-year-old Serb has won the Australian Open a record 10 times, defeating Murray in four finals.

Djokovic failed to win a Grand Slam in 2024 and has slipped to seventh in the world, although he did land the Olympic singles title in Paris.

Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Novak Djokovic announced on Saturday that his retired long-time rival Andy Murray is joining the 24-time Grand Slam-winning player's coaching team, starting at the Australian Open in January.

Novak Djokovic announced on Saturday that his retired long-time rival Andy Murray is joining the 24-time Grand Slam-winning player's coaching team, starting at the Australian Open in January. "I'm thrilled to have one of my biggest rivals on the same side of the net with me, this time as my coach. I look forward to starting the season with Andy and having him by my side in Melbourne, where we've shared many exceptional moments throughout our careers," Djokovic said in a statement. Also Read: Netherlands down Germany to reach first Davis Cup final Murray, a three-time Grand Slam champion who retired from competitive tennis in August, said: "I am very excited about this and look forward to being on the same side of the net for a change. He never liked retirement anyway. 🙌 pic.twitter.com/Ga4UlV2kQW — Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) November 23, 2024 × "I'm also grateful for the opportunity to help him achieve his goals for the upcoming year." Djokovic posted a video on X of him and Murray during the Scotsman's playing career, jokingly titled: "He never liked retirement anyway." The 37-year-old Serb has won the Australian Open a record 10 times, defeating Murray in four finals. Djokovic failed to win a Grand Slam in 2024 and has slipped to seventh in the world, although he did land the Olympic singles title in Paris. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Novak Djokovic announces recently retired Andy Murray as new coach

Novak Djokovic has pulled out of the season-ending ATP Finals due to an injury, the record 24-times Grand Slam champion said on Tuesday.

The 37-year-old Serbian also withdrew from the Paris Masters, which was won by world number two Alexander Zverev on Sunday.

Djokovic, who won his first Olympic gold medal at the Paris Games in August, won last year's ATP Finals title by defeating twice major winner Jannik Sinner in the final.

"I was really looking forward to being there, but due to ongoing injury, I won't be playing next week," Djokovic posted on his Instagram Story.

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"Apologies to those who were planning to see me. Wishing all the players a great tournament. See you soon!"

Sinner, Zverev, four-times Grand Slam winner Carlos Alcaraz, former U.S. Open champion Daniil Medvedev and American Taylor Fritz have booked their spots at the ATP Finals, which will be held from Nov. 10-17 in Turin, Italy.

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Novak Djokovic has pulled out of the season-ending ATP Finals due to an injury, the record 24-times Grand Slam champion said on Tuesday. The 37-year-old Serbian also withdrew from the Paris Masters, which was won by world number two Alexander Zverev on Sunday.

Novak Djokovic has pulled out of the season-ending ATP Finals due to an injury, the record 24-times Grand Slam champion said on Tuesday. The 37-year-old Serbian also withdrew from the Paris Masters, which was won by world number two Alexander Zverev on Sunday. Djokovic, who won his first Olympic gold medal at the Paris Games in August, won last year's ATP Finals title by defeating twice major winner Jannik Sinner in the final. "I was really looking forward to being there, but due to ongoing injury, I won't be playing next week," Djokovic posted on his Instagram Story. ALSO READ | Gautam Gambhir went against team management, defied Rahul Dravid's 'pitch theory' during NZ Tests: Report "Apologies to those who were planning to see me. Wishing all the players a great tournament. See you soon!" Sinner, Zverev, four-times Grand Slam winner Carlos Alcaraz, former U.S. Open champion Daniil Medvedev and American Taylor Fritz have booked their spots at the ATP Finals, which will be held from Nov. 10-17 in Turin, Italy. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Novak Djokovic withdraws from ATP Finals due to injury

Novak Djokovic implored long-time adversary Rafael Nadal to put off his planned retirement after defeating the Spaniard Saturday in what was likely to be the final chapter of their "amazing rivalry".

"Don't leave tennis, man," Djokovic said in an on-court interview after beating Nadal in straight sets 6-2, 7-6 (7/5) at the "Six Kings Slam" exhibition in Saudi Arabia.

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The last dance was an epic one. And of course emotional. I’ll cherish our rivalry forever, <a href="https://twitter.com/RafaelNadal?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@rafaelnadal</a> 👑. Tennis will miss you. 
 
As-salamu alaykum, Riyadh. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SixKingsSlam?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SixKingsSlam</a> is a special tournament. See you soon 🙏🏼 <a href="https://t.co/CnBswzZnLy">pic.twitter.com/CnBswzZnLy</a>
— Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) <a href="https://twitter.com/DjokerNole/status/1847730994641559796?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 19, 2024</a></blockquote>
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He added that their battles over the years had been "very intense" and told Nadal he hoped they could one day "sit on a beach somewhere" and have a drink.

Nadal, 38, announced on October 10 that he would retire from tennis after the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga next month.

Organisers of the Saudi event billed Saturday's match as perhaps Nadal's last singles contest as a professional.

Nadal said Thursday he was unsure whether he would be fit enough to play singles in Malaga.

Djokovic and Nadal –- two of the sport's famed "Big Three" along with Roger Federer –- had faced each other 60 times on the main tour prior to Saturday's exhibition match, with Djokovic holding a narrow 31-29 edge.

Their last encounter came during the Paris Olympics on the same Roland Garros courts where Nadal won 14 French Open titles, though Djokovic triumphed easily 6-1, 6-4.

Djokovic has racked up 24 Grand Slam titles in his career, two more than Nadal.

Saturday's match was mostly one-sided, with Nadal spraying errors and Djokovic wrapping up the first set in just 31 minutes.

Feeding off the support of the partisan crowd who openly cheered Djokovic's double-faults, Nadal rallied to push the second set to a tie-break, reeling off winners and even treating fans to one last iconic fist pump before succumbing to Djokovic.

"It's great to see him still fighting even though he's had injuries and struggles," Djokovic, 37, told a post-match press conference.

It was "a very emotional day, special day" because it was the "last time I play my biggest rival, Nadal," he added. "I've witnessed Andy Murray retiring this year, Roger (Federer) a few years ago as well. And now Rafa, you know. It's tough in some way to see them go, because all of my career, basically, I've played with them."

After being presented with a golden tennis racket, Nadal in turn thanked Djokovic for the "amazing rivalry" and "for all the moments that we shared on court".

Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Novak Djokovic implored long-time adversary Rafael Nadal to put off his planned retirement after defeating the Spaniard Saturday in what was likely to be the final chapter of their "amazing rivalry".

Novak Djokovic implored long-time adversary Rafael Nadal to put off his planned retirement after defeating the Spaniard Saturday in what was likely to be the final chapter of their "amazing rivalry". "Don't leave tennis, man," Djokovic said in an on-court interview after beating Nadal in straight sets 6-2, 7-6 (7/5) at the "Six Kings Slam" exhibition in Saudi Arabia. The last dance was an epic one. And of course emotional. I’ll cherish our rivalry forever, @rafaelnadal 👑. Tennis will miss you. As-salamu alaykum, Riyadh. #SixKingsSlam is a special tournament. See you soon 🙏🏼 pic.twitter.com/CnBswzZnLy — Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) October 19, 2024 × ALSO READ: Lionel Messi hits another hat-trick as Inter Miami break MLS points record – WATCH He added that their battles over the years had been "very intense" and told Nadal he hoped they could one day "sit on a beach somewhere" and have a drink. Nadal, 38, announced on October 10 that he would retire from tennis after the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga next month. Organisers of the Saudi event billed Saturday's match as perhaps Nadal's last singles contest as a professional. Nadal said Thursday he was unsure whether he would be fit enough to play singles in Malaga. Djokovic and Nadal –- two of the sport's famed "Big Three" along with Roger Federer –- had faced each other 60 times on the main tour prior to Saturday's exhibition match, with Djokovic holding a narrow 31-29 edge. Their last encounter came during the Paris Olympics on the same Roland Garros courts where Nadal won 14 French Open titles, though Djokovic triumphed easily 6-1, 6-4. Djokovic has racked up 24 Grand Slam titles in his career, two more than Nadal. Saturday's match was mostly one-sided, with Nadal spraying errors and Djokovic wrapping up the first set in just 31 minutes. Feeding off the support of the partisan crowd who openly cheered Djokovic's double-faults, Nadal rallied to push the second set to a tie-break, reeling off winners and even treating fans to one last iconic fist pump before succumbing to Djokovic. "It's great to see him still fighting even though he's had injuries and struggles," Djokovic, 37, told a post-match press conference. It was "a very emotional day, special day" because it was the "last time I play my biggest rival, Nadal," he added. "I've witnessed Andy Murray retiring this year, Roger (Federer) a few years ago as well. And now Rafa, you know. It's tough in some way to see them go, because all of my career, basically, I've played with them." After being presented with a golden tennis racket, Nadal in turn thanked Djokovic for the "amazing rivalry" and "for all the moments that we shared on court". Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

‘Don’t leave tennis, man’ – Novak Djokovic bids goodbye to Rafael Nadal after ‘amazing rivalry’

World number one Jannik Sinner defeated 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic 7-6 (7/4), 6-3 on Sunday to win the Shanghai Masters.

Sinner took a crucial break in the fourth game of the second set to defeat the Serb in 1hr 37min and deny him a 100th career singles title.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/interim-coach-lee-carsley-confirms-not-applying-for-england-head-coach-job-766982">Interim coach Lee Carsley confirms not applying for England head coach job</a>

"He was just too good today, too strong, too fast," Djokovic said after the match.&nbsp;

Sinner said it was a "very special day", saluting his opponent as a "legend" who kept playing "incredible tennis... year after year".

In a nod to former Djokovic rival Roger Federer, who was watching from the stands, the 23-year-old joked: "There are legends everywhere, I just try to keep up a little bit."

Facing off before an impassioned crowd, neither player blinked in the first set, unable to break the other's serve.

Sinner quickly took control in the tiebreak, breaking Djokovic's serve on the first point and going 5-1 up.

The Serb steadied himself but then netted a volley to bring up set point at 6-3.

Sinner failed to convert initially but didn't miss the second time behind serve.

The next key moment came in the fourth game of the second set when Sinner was up 40-15 on Djokovic's serve.

Djokovic saved one break point with a fiery ace but couldn't stop a superb forehand down the line from Sinner that saw him pull ahead.

All that remained was for the Italian to hold his nerve, hitting an ace to finish the match and claim the title.&nbsp;

<h2>'Tough year'</h2>

Sinner's victory is the latest triumph in a formidable season, in which he has won two Grand Slams and retained the top spot in the rankings since June.

But it is also a year that has seen him embroiled in controversy after he twice tested positive for a banned steroid in March.

In August, the International Tennis Integrity Agency accepted Sinner's explanation that the drug entered his system unintentionally when his physiotherapist used a spray containing it to treat a cut, then provided massage and sports therapy to the player.

However, the World Anti-Doping Agency said last month it would appeal against the decision to clear him of wrongdoing and was seeking a ban of up to two years.

That news came as Sinner was contesting the China Open, where he lost in the final to Spain's Carlos Alcaraz, who was also watching from the stands on Sunday.&nbsp;

"This year has been very, very tough for me... At points I lost a little bit of smile," Sinner said on Sunday.&nbsp;

"It's never easy to play in these kind of circumstances," he added.&nbsp;

"I feel like I'm strong when I go on the court trying to not think about it... When I wake up I try to focus on every single (match or practice) I do, but then of course I have moments when I think about it which is not comfortable."

<h2>'Deserved' win</h2>

Djokovic said Sinner played "the big points better" and "deserved to win".

The 37-year-old said that getting a 100th title was "not a live-or-die type of goal", but he would keep trying.

Djokovic became the last man standing from tennis' golden era after Rafael Nadal announced his retirement this week and said that, despite the loss, he was pleased with his performance in Shanghai.

"I played pretty good, which gives me, I guess, a reason to believe that I can still play with these guys that are the best in the world at this level," he said.&nbsp;

"As long as that's the case, I guess I'll still feel the need to keep on competing and the motivation to be out there."

Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

World number one Jannik Sinner defeated 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic 7-6 (7/4), 6-3 on Sunday to win the Shanghai Masters. Sinner took a crucial break in the fourth game of the second set to defeat the Serb in 1hr 37min and deny him a 100th career singles title.

World number one Jannik Sinner defeated 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic 7-6 (7/4), 6-3 on Sunday to win the Shanghai Masters. Sinner took a crucial break in the fourth game of the second set to defeat the Serb in 1hr 37min and deny him a 100th career singles title. Also Read: Interim coach Lee Carsley confirms not applying for England head coach job "He was just too good today, too strong, too fast," Djokovic said after the match. Sinner said it was a "very special day", saluting his opponent as a "legend" who kept playing "incredible tennis... year after year". In a nod to former Djokovic rival Roger Federer, who was watching from the stands, the 23-year-old joked: "There are legends everywhere, I just try to keep up a little bit." Facing off before an impassioned crowd, neither player blinked in the first set, unable to break the other's serve. Sinner quickly took control in the tiebreak, breaking Djokovic's serve on the first point and going 5-1 up. The Serb steadied himself but then netted a volley to bring up set point at 6-3. Sinner failed to convert initially but didn't miss the second time behind serve. The next key moment came in the fourth game of the second set when Sinner was up 40-15 on Djokovic's serve. Djokovic saved one break point with a fiery ace but couldn't stop a superb forehand down the line from Sinner that saw him pull ahead. All that remained was for the Italian to hold his nerve, hitting an ace to finish the match and claim the title. 'Tough year' Sinner's victory is the latest triumph in a formidable season, in which he has won two Grand Slams and retained the top spot in the rankings since June. But it is also a year that has seen him embroiled in controversy after he twice tested positive for a banned steroid in March. In August, the International Tennis Integrity Agency accepted Sinner's explanation that the drug entered his system unintentionally when his physiotherapist used a spray containing it to treat a cut, then provided massage and sports therapy to the player. However, the World Anti-Doping Agency said last month it would appeal against the decision to clear him of wrongdoing and was seeking a ban of up to two years. That news came as Sinner was contesting the China Open, where he lost in the final to Spain's Carlos Alcaraz, who was also watching from the stands on Sunday. "This year has been very, very tough for me... At points I lost a little bit of smile," Sinner said on Sunday. "It's never easy to play in these kind of circumstances," he added. "I feel like I'm strong when I go on the court trying to not think about it... When I wake up I try to focus on every single (match or practice) I do, but then of course I have moments when I think about it which is not comfortable." 'Deserved' win Djokovic said Sinner played "the big points better" and "deserved to win". The 37-year-old said that getting a 100th title was "not a live-or-die type of goal", but he would keep trying. Djokovic became the last man standing from tennis' golden era after Rafael Nadal announced his retirement this week and said that, despite the loss, he was pleased with his performance in Shanghai. "I played pretty good, which gives me, I guess, a reason to believe that I can still play with these guys that are the best in the world at this level," he said. "As long as that's the case, I guess I'll still feel the need to keep on competing and the motivation to be out there." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Jannik Sinner denies Novak Djokovic 100th career title with Shanghai Masters win

World number one Jannik Sinner reached the final of the Shanghai Masters after convincingly defeating the Czech Republic's Tomas Machac 6-4, 7-5 on Saturday.

Sinner will face either Novak Djokovic -- a four-time Shanghai champion -- or world number seven Taylor Fritz in the final.&nbsp;

The 33rd-ranked Machac was looking to repeat his giant-slaying of Thursday, when he knocked out world number two Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets.

The semi-final got off to an electric start when the Czech broke Sinner in the first game.

But the two-time Grand Slam champion kept his cool to break back in the fourth, then claimed the tenth game to clinch the set.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/cant-win-a-test-pak-skipper-shan-masood-blames-bowlers-for-crushing-innings-loss-vs-england-766855">'Can't win a Test...,' Pak skipper Shan Masood blames bowlers for crushing innings loss vs England</a>

In the second set, neither was able to break serve until the 12th game, when the Italian hit a winner to book his place in Sunday's final.&nbsp;

"It was very tough... he is playing with so much confidence and he can hit a ball really hard, and is serving very well," said Sinner.&nbsp;

"I tried to stay there mentally... I'm very happy about how I'm fighting at the moment."

Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

World number one Jannik Sinner reached the final of the Shanghai Masters after convincingly defeating the Czech Republic's Tomas Machac 6-4, 7-5 on Saturday. Sinner will face either Novak Djokovic -- a four-time Shanghai champion -- or world number seven Taylor Fritz in the final.

World number one Jannik Sinner reached the final of the Shanghai Masters after convincingly defeating the Czech Republic's Tomas Machac 6-4, 7-5 on Saturday. Sinner will face either Novak Djokovic -- a four-time Shanghai champion -- or world number seven Taylor Fritz in the final. The 33rd-ranked Machac was looking to repeat his giant-slaying of Thursday, when he knocked out world number two Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets. The semi-final got off to an electric start when the Czech broke Sinner in the first game. But the two-time Grand Slam champion kept his cool to break back in the fourth, then claimed the tenth game to clinch the set. ALSO READ | 'Can't win a Test...,' Pak skipper Shan Masood blames bowlers for crushing innings loss vs England In the second set, neither was able to break serve until the 12th game, when the Italian hit a winner to book his place in Sunday's final. "It was very tough... he is playing with so much confidence and he can hit a ball really hard, and is serving very well," said Sinner. "I tried to stay there mentally... I'm very happy about how I'm fighting at the moment." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Shanghai Masters: Jannik Sinner tames Tomas Machac to reach final; to face winner of Djokovic-Fritz

On Thursday (Oct 10), Spaniard Rafael Nadal shocked the sporting fraternity by announcing his retirement. Nadal's career has been plagued by injury concerns since 2022 and, thus, he has decided to step aside after this year's Davis Cup in November. Following the big news, Nadal's longtime rival Novak Djokovic showered praise on him and said that he will be there in person 'to pay respect' to the Spanish star.

Djokovic wrote a long post on his Instagram handle honouring Nadal’s illustrious career. The 24-time Grand Slam winner, also touched upon the fierce rivalry the two shared on the court and mentioned Nadal’s impact on the game as he’s inspired future generations to take up the sport.

On his Instagram post, Djokovic wrote, "Rafa, one post is not enough to express the respect I have for you and what you have done for our sport. You have inspired millions of children to start playing tennis and I think that’s probably greatest achievement anyone can wish for. Your tenacity, dedication, fighting spirit is going to be taught for decades. Your legacy will live forever."

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tennis/news-rafael-nadal-tennis-legend-to-retire-after-davis-cup-2024-766310">Tennis legend Rafael Nadal announces retirement, confirms November's Davis Cup to be his last</a>

He added, "Only you know what you had to endure to become icon of tennis and sport in general. Thank you for pushing me to the very limit so many times in our rivalry that has impacted me the most as a player. Your passion for representing Spain has always been remarkable. I wish you best possible farewell in Malaga with Davis Cup team of Spain. I will be there in person to pay respect to your stellar career."

Nadal will end his illustrious career with as many as 22 Grand Slam titles, second-most after Djokovic (24). The two have had a strong rivalry on the court, with the Serbian having a slight edge with a 31-29 head-to-head record in 60 encounters.&nbsp;

Talking about Nadal's emotional retirement post, the Spaniard said in a video on X, "I am retiring from professional tennis. The reality is that it has been some difficult years, these last two especially," Nadal said in a video on social media. "It is obviously a difficult decision, one that has taken me some time to make. But in this life, everything has a beginning and an end."

Nadal, thus, ends with 22 Grand Slams titles, including 14 French Open victories, 4 US Open wins and two each in Australian Open and Wimbledon. He caps off a glorious career with a whopping 92 titles. Of the 115 times he competed at Roland Garros in Paris, Nadal lost thrice - an incredible feat.&nbsp;

On Thursday (Oct 10), Spaniard Rafael Nadal shocked the sporting fraternity by announcing his retirement. Nadal's career has been plagued by injury concerns since 2022 and, thus, he has decided to step aside after this year's Davis Cup in November.

On Thursday (Oct 10), Spaniard Rafael Nadal shocked the sporting fraternity by announcing his retirement. Nadal's career has been plagued by injury concerns since 2022 and, thus, he has decided to step aside after this year's Davis Cup in November. Following the big news, Nadal's longtime rival Novak Djokovic showered praise on him and said that he will be there in person 'to pay respect' to the Spanish star. Djokovic wrote a long post on his Instagram handle honouring Nadal’s illustrious career. The 24-time Grand Slam winner, also touched upon the fierce rivalry the two shared on the court and mentioned Nadal’s impact on the game as he’s inspired future generations to take up the sport. On his Instagram post, Djokovic wrote, "Rafa, one post is not enough to express the respect I have for you and what you have done for our sport. You have inspired millions of children to start playing tennis and I think that’s probably greatest achievement anyone can wish for. Your tenacity, dedication, fighting spirit is going to be taught for decades. Your legacy will live forever." Also read: Tennis legend Rafael Nadal announces retirement, confirms November's Davis Cup to be his last He added, "Only you know what you had to endure to become icon of tennis and sport in general. Thank you for pushing me to the very limit so many times in our rivalry that has impacted me the most as a player. Your passion for representing Spain has always been remarkable. I wish you best possible farewell in Malaga with Davis Cup team of Spain. I will be there in person to pay respect to your stellar career." Nadal will end his illustrious career with as many as 22 Grand Slam titles, second-most after Djokovic (24). The two have had a strong rivalry on the court, with the Serbian having a slight edge with a 31-29 head-to-head record in 60 encounters. Talking about Nadal's emotional retirement post, the Spaniard said in a video on X, "I am retiring from professional tennis. The reality is that it has been some difficult years, these last two especially," Nadal said in a video on social media. "It is obviously a difficult decision, one that has taken me some time to make. But in this life, everything has a beginning and an end." Nadal, thus, ends with 22 Grand Slams titles, including 14 French Open victories, 4 US Open wins and two each in Australian Open and Wimbledon. He caps off a glorious career with a whopping 92 titles. Of the 115 times he competed at Roland Garros in Paris, Nadal lost thrice - an incredible feat.

Will be there in person to pay respect: Novak Djokovic reacts to longtime rival Rafael Nadal's retirement

Novak Djokovic dug out a 6-7(4) 6-1 6-4 win over Czech Jakub Mensik on Friday to advance to the semi-finals of the Shanghai Masters, where he will face Taylor Fritz. 
 
The four-times Shanghai champion managed to raise his level after losing the first set on a tiebreak and never looked back as he beat his 19-year-old opponent to enter the semi-finals for a ninth time.

The Serb, who played his first match on the ATP Tour over a year before his opponent was born in September 2005, initially struggled to counter Mensik's serve but found his rhythm and broke for a 5-4 lead in the first set.

However, the 24-times Grand Slam champion allowed his unseeded opponent to hit back instantly and with a foothold in the contest Mensik clinched the tiebreak as Djokovic hit a forehand into the net.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fa-fines-nottingham-forest-ps75000-for-social-media-post-targeting-var-last-season-766692">FA fines Nottingham Forest £75,000 for social media post targeting VAR last season</a>

The 37-year-old did well to recover, taking advantage of a string of unforced errors from Mensik to hold serve on either side of an early break as he took a 3-0 lead in the second set.

Mensik, playing in his first ATP Masters 1000 quarter-final, had no answer to the relentless accuracy of Djokovic's forehand and was broken once again as the fourth seed levelled the match at a set apiece.

Djokovic won the first point of the decider with a pin-point forehand at the end of an epic 33-shot rally and ran Mensik ragged with his power and precision. He broke for a 3-2 lead, which ultimately proved decisive despite an apparent knee issue for the Serb late in the match.

Djokovic is looking to win a record-extending fifth title in Shanghai, as well as his first ATP Masters 1000 title since his victory in Paris last year.

He will face world number seven Fritz in the semi-finals after the American defeated Belgian David Goffin 6-3 6-4 earlier on Friday.

In the other semi-final, world number one Jannik Sinner will take on Czech Tomas Machac.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Novak Djokovic dug out a 6-7(4) 6-1 6-4 win over Czech Jakub Mensik on Friday to advance to the semi-finals of the Shanghai Masters, where he will face Taylor Fritz.

Novak Djokovic dug out a 6-7(4) 6-1 6-4 win over Czech Jakub Mensik on Friday to advance to the semi-finals of the Shanghai Masters, where he will face Taylor Fritz. The four-times Shanghai champion managed to raise his level after losing the first set on a tiebreak and never looked back as he beat his 19-year-old opponent to enter the semi-finals for a ninth time. The Serb, who played his first match on the ATP Tour over a year before his opponent was born in September 2005, initially struggled to counter Mensik's serve but found his rhythm and broke for a 5-4 lead in the first set. However, the 24-times Grand Slam champion allowed his unseeded opponent to hit back instantly and with a foothold in the contest Mensik clinched the tiebreak as Djokovic hit a forehand into the net. ALSO READ: FA fines Nottingham Forest £75,000 for social media post targeting VAR last season The 37-year-old did well to recover, taking advantage of a string of unforced errors from Mensik to hold serve on either side of an early break as he took a 3-0 lead in the second set. Mensik, playing in his first ATP Masters 1000 quarter-final, had no answer to the relentless accuracy of Djokovic's forehand and was broken once again as the fourth seed levelled the match at a set apiece. Djokovic won the first point of the decider with a pin-point forehand at the end of an epic 33-shot rally and ran Mensik ragged with his power and precision. He broke for a 3-2 lead, which ultimately proved decisive despite an apparent knee issue for the Serb late in the match. Djokovic is looking to win a record-extending fifth title in Shanghai, as well as his first ATP Masters 1000 title since his victory in Paris last year. He will face world number seven Fritz in the semi-finals after the American defeated Belgian David Goffin 6-3 6-4 earlier on Friday. In the other semi-final, world number one Jannik Sinner will take on Czech Tomas Machac. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Novak Djokovic downs Jakub Mensik to reach Shanghai Masters semis

It was end of an era in the world of tennis after 22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal announced his retirement from the sport on Thursday (Oct 10). The upcoming Davis Cup will be the Spaniard’s last tournament before he hangs his racket. After he decided to retire, legends like Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic paid tribute to the legend on social media.

<h2>Social media reacts</h2>

"What a career, Rafa! I always hoped this day would never come," 20-time Grand Slam winner Federer, who retired two years ago, said in a post on social media.&nbsp;

"Thank you for the unforgettable memories and all your incredible achievements in the game we love. It's been an absolute honor!"

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Rafael Nadal has announced his retirement 🥹 
 
His last event will be next month's <a href="https://twitter.com/DavisCupFinals?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DavisCupFinals</a>. <a href="https://t.co/vFUw2I7SwF">pic.twitter.com/vFUw2I7SwF</a>
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) <a href="https://twitter.com/usopen/status/1844346483153531071?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 10, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Legendary memories. You are so loved around the world and here with us in Australia. Grateful for all the unforgettable moments 💙 Gracias, Rafa. For everything! <a href="https://t.co/8Q59mLWPbk">pic.twitter.com/8Q59mLWPbk</a>
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) <a href="https://twitter.com/AustralianOpen/status/1844331115240419757?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 10, 2024</a></blockquote>
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King 🧡<a href="https://t.co/2uTsqFZpyt">pic.twitter.com/2uTsqFZpyt</a>
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) <a href="https://twitter.com/rolandgarros/status/1844316261666390431?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 10, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Forever a champion. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Wimbledon?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Wimbledon</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/RafaelNadal?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RafaelNadal</a> <a href="https://t.co/pe1XpcWycx">pic.twitter.com/pe1XpcWycx</a>
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) <a href="https://twitter.com/Wimbledon/status/1844317019719729660?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 10, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Damn. I’ve had nightmares that have woke me up about Rafa ☹️ I’m gonna miss them. This was someone that I used to prepare for ☹️ he was a motivation - I guess an inspiration. Fuck - it’s true- people do bring the best out of you. You were one of those people 🙏🏽 damn…..
— Nicholas Kyrgios (@NickKyrgios) <a href="https://twitter.com/NickKyrgios/status/1844348651315036493?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 10, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Gracias Rafa, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RafaSiempre?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RafaSiempre</a> ❤️ <a href="https://t.co/m7NXorFaNx">pic.twitter.com/m7NXorFaNx</a>
— ATP Tour (@atptour) <a href="https://twitter.com/atptour/status/1844316260454236551?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 10, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Mil gracias a todos 
Many thanks to all 
Merci beaucoup à tous 
Grazie mille à tutti 
谢谢大家 
شكرا لكم جميعا 
תודה לכולכם 
Obrigado a todos 
Vielen Dank euch allen 
Tack alla 
Хвала свима 
Gràcies a tots <a href="https://t.co/7yPRs7QrOi">pic.twitter.com/7yPRs7QrOi</a>
— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) <a href="https://twitter.com/RafaelNadal/status/1844308861492318594?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 10, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Rafael Nadal was the youngest person to complete the career grand slam. 
 
He had won the French Open, Australian Open, Wimbledon and the US Open by the time he was 24 years and 101 days old. 
 
🐐 <a href="https://t.co/MpSXhlrd1n">pic.twitter.com/MpSXhlrd1n</a>
— Guinness World Records (@GWR) <a href="https://twitter.com/GWR/status/1844342488234164533?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 10, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Thank you <a href="https://twitter.com/RafaelNadal?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RafaelNadal</a> for everything you have given to the sport. To have the chance to spend a few weeks training with you a few years ago is something I’ll never forget. To watch you work as an athlete but also get to know you as a person off the court was even more special.… <a href="https://t.co/Obyrk5V5mh">pic.twitter.com/Obyrk5V5mh</a>
— Jannik Sinner (@janniksin) <a href="https://twitter.com/janniksin/status/1844361272973734116?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 10, 2024</a></blockquote>
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❤️💛<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FIFAWorldCup?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FIFAWorldCup</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/RafaelNadal?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RafaelNadal</a> <a href="https://t.co/bWUJXs2JvU">pic.twitter.com/bWUJXs2JvU</a>
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) <a href="https://twitter.com/FIFAWorldCup/status/1844323915126247736?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 10, 2024</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

It was end of an era in the world of tennis after 22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal announced his retirement from the sport on Thursday (Oct 10). The upcoming Davis Cup will be the Spaniard’s last tournament before he hangs his racket.

It was end of an era in the world of tennis after 22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal announced his retirement from the sport on Thursday (Oct 10). The upcoming Davis Cup will be the Spaniard’s last tournament before he hangs his racket. After he decided to retire, legends like Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic paid tribute to the legend on social media. Social media reacts "What a career, Rafa! I always hoped this day would never come," 20-time Grand Slam winner Federer, who retired two years ago, said in a post on social media. "Thank you for the unforgettable memories and all your incredible achievements in the game we love. It's been an absolute honor!" Rafael Nadal has announced his retirement 🥹 His last event will be next month's @DavisCupFinals. pic.twitter.com/vFUw2I7SwF — US Open Tennis (@usopen) October 10, 2024 × Legendary memories. You are so loved around the world and here with us in Australia. Grateful for all the unforgettable moments 💙 Gracias, Rafa. For everything! pic.twitter.com/8Q59mLWPbk — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) October 10, 2024 × King 🧡pic.twitter.com/2uTsqFZpyt — Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) October 10, 2024 × Forever a champion. #Wimbledon | @RafaelNadal pic.twitter.com/pe1XpcWycx — Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) October 10, 2024 × Damn. I’ve had nightmares that have woke me up about Rafa ☹️ I’m gonna miss them. This was someone that I used to prepare for ☹️ he was a motivation - I guess an inspiration. Fuck - it’s true- people do bring the best out of you. You were one of those people 🙏🏽 damn….. — Nicholas Kyrgios (@NickKyrgios) October 10, 2024 × Gracias Rafa, #RafaSiempre ❤️ pic.twitter.com/m7NXorFaNx — ATP Tour (@atptour) October 10, 2024 × Mil gracias a todos Many thanks to all Merci beaucoup à tous Grazie mille à tutti 谢谢大家 شكرا لكم جميعا תודה לכולכם Obrigado a todos Vielen Dank euch allen Tack alla Хвала свима Gràcies a tots pic.twitter.com/7yPRs7QrOi — Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) October 10, 2024 × Rafael Nadal was the youngest person to complete the career grand slam. He had won the French Open, Australian Open, Wimbledon and the US Open by the time he was 24 years and 101 days old. 🐐 pic.twitter.com/MpSXhlrd1n — Guinness World Records (@GWR) October 10, 2024 × Thank you @RafaelNadal for everything you have given to the sport. To have the chance to spend a few weeks training with you a few years ago is something I’ll never forget. To watch you work as an athlete but also get to know you as a person off the court was even more special.… pic.twitter.com/Obyrk5V5mh — Jannik Sinner (@janniksin) October 10, 2024 × ❤️💛#FIFAWorldCup | @RafaelNadal pic.twitter.com/bWUJXs2JvU — FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) October 10, 2024 ×

Rafael Nadal Retires: Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic pay tribute to King of Clay

Second seed Alexander Zverev scraped through to the last 16 of the Shanghai Masters on Tuesday, winning two tiebreaks against the Netherlands' Tallon Griekspoor in an ill-tempered match that ended 7-6 (8/6), 2-6, 7-6 (7/5).&nbsp;

Novak Djokovic meanwhile powered through the third round, steamrolling Italian Flavio Cobolli 6-1, 6-2 in just over an hour.&nbsp;

Zverev's first set against 40th-ranked Griekspoor was overshadowed by the German's prolonged, expletive-laden exchange with the umpire when he disagreed with a call.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/italian-defender-marco-curto-banned-for-10-matches-for-racially-abusing-south-korean-forward-hwang-hee-chan-765458">Italian defender Marco Curto banned for 10 matches for racially abusing South Korean forward Hwang Hee-chan</a>

"I cannot be bothered to go to China in October, for you to screw up this... I cannot, this is not possible," Zverev ranted before tossing his racket across the court.&nbsp;

The world number three claimed the first set, but proceeded to fall apart in the second, with the Dutchman breaking him in the first, third and fifth game.

Zverev squandered an early lead in the third set tiebreak but an unforced error on Griekspoor's part saw him crowned winner.

"Every time I play him it's the most difficult match," said Zverev, saying there had been "not much difference" between them.

In contrast, Djokovic, a four-time Shanghai champion, completely dominated 30th-ranked Cobolli, breaking him in the second and sixth games of the first set.&nbsp;

"I can't complain about anything in the game, I was able to play aggressively," Djokovic said.&nbsp;

"I'm glad to be progressing through a tournament that has meant a lot to me in my career."&nbsp;

Fans waved Serbian flags and screamed in delight when the former world number one wrote part of his Chinese character name on a camera lens at the end of the match.&nbsp;

Djokovic will next play Russian Roman Safiullin, who upset Frances Tiafoe in three tight sets.&nbsp;

The end of that match also saw the American swear repeatedly at the umpire.

<h2>Sinner-Shelton rematch</h2>

The last 16 has finally fallen into place after days of schedule disruption due to rain.

Ben Shelton dispatched Spain's Roberto Carballes Baena 6-3, 6-4 to set up a Shanghai rematch with world number one Jannik Sinner of Italy.

The American knocked Sinner out of the tournament at the same stage last year.&nbsp;

"(I have) great memories from that match last year, I probably watched the tape of that a couple times so far this year... I'm really looking forward to it, that will be fun," Shelton said.

Sinner's chief rival Carlos Alcaraz, who beat him in the China Open final last week,&nbsp;will face veteran Gael Monfils.

The 38-year-old Frenchman defeated his younger and higher-ranked compatriot Ugo Humbert 7-6 (9/7), 2-6, 6-1.&nbsp;

Stefanos Tsitsipas&nbsp;recovered from a lapse in concentration in the second set to beat France's Alexandre Muller 6-3, 7-5.&nbsp;

The 26-year-old will meet world number five Daniil Medvedev in the next round.&nbsp;

"(Medvedev) likes courts like this. I feel like I'm getting better with time... What is missing is trying to get a good win under my belt," said the Greek, acknowledging his uneven recent form.&nbsp;

World number 10 Grigor Dimitrov is through after beating Australia's Alexei Popyrin 7-6 (7/5), 6-2.&nbsp;

The Bulgarian will play Czech teenager Jakub Mensik, who already ended one top 10 player's hopes when he sent Russia's Andrey Rublev home last week.&nbsp;

Zverev will face Belgium's David Goffin.

Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Second seed Alexander Zverev scraped through to the last 16 of the Shanghai Masters on Tuesday, winning two tiebreaks against the Netherlands' Tallon Griekspoor in an ill-tempered match that ended 7-6 (8/6), 2-6, 7-6 (7/5).

Second seed Alexander Zverev scraped through to the last 16 of the Shanghai Masters on Tuesday, winning two tiebreaks against the Netherlands' Tallon Griekspoor in an ill-tempered match that ended 7-6 (8/6), 2-6, 7-6 (7/5). Novak Djokovic meanwhile powered through the third round, steamrolling Italian Flavio Cobolli 6-1, 6-2 in just over an hour. Zverev's first set against 40th-ranked Griekspoor was overshadowed by the German's prolonged, expletive-laden exchange with the umpire when he disagreed with a call. Also Read: Italian defender Marco Curto banned for 10 matches for racially abusing South Korean forward Hwang Hee-chan "I cannot be bothered to go to China in October, for you to screw up this... I cannot, this is not possible," Zverev ranted before tossing his racket across the court. The world number three claimed the first set, but proceeded to fall apart in the second, with the Dutchman breaking him in the first, third and fifth game. Zverev squandered an early lead in the third set tiebreak but an unforced error on Griekspoor's part saw him crowned winner. "Every time I play him it's the most difficult match," said Zverev, saying there had been "not much difference" between them. In contrast, Djokovic, a four-time Shanghai champion, completely dominated 30th-ranked Cobolli, breaking him in the second and sixth games of the first set. "I can't complain about anything in the game, I was able to play aggressively," Djokovic said. "I'm glad to be progressing through a tournament that has meant a lot to me in my career." Fans waved Serbian flags and screamed in delight when the former world number one wrote part of his Chinese character name on a camera lens at the end of the match. Djokovic will next play Russian Roman Safiullin, who upset Frances Tiafoe in three tight sets. The end of that match also saw the American swear repeatedly at the umpire. Sinner-Shelton rematch The last 16 has finally fallen into place after days of schedule disruption due to rain. Ben Shelton dispatched Spain's Roberto Carballes Baena 6-3, 6-4 to set up a Shanghai rematch with world number one Jannik Sinner of Italy. The American knocked Sinner out of the tournament at the same stage last year. "(I have) great memories from that match last year, I probably watched the tape of that a couple times so far this year... I'm really looking forward to it, that will be fun," Shelton said. Sinner's chief rival Carlos Alcaraz, who beat him in the China Open final last week, will face veteran Gael Monfils. The 38-year-old Frenchman defeated his younger and higher-ranked compatriot Ugo Humbert 7-6 (9/7), 2-6, 6-1. Stefanos Tsitsipas recovered from a lapse in concentration in the second set to beat France's Alexandre Muller 6-3, 7-5. The 26-year-old will meet world number five Daniil Medvedev in the next round. "(Medvedev) likes courts like this. I feel like I'm getting better with time... What is missing is trying to get a good win under my belt," said the Greek, acknowledging his uneven recent form. World number 10 Grigor Dimitrov is through after beating Australia's Alexei Popyrin 7-6 (7/5), 6-2. The Bulgarian will play Czech teenager Jakub Mensik, who already ended one top 10 player's hopes when he sent Russia's Andrey Rublev home last week. Zverev will face Belgium's David Goffin. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Shanghai Masters: Alexander Zverev scrapes through R16, Novak Djokovic cruises into third round

Jannik Sinner has hired Novak Djokovic's former fitness coach Marco Panichi in the wake of the world number one being cleared despite testing positive twice for a banned substance.

"Welcome to the team," Sinner wrote on social media on Monday alongside a photo of himself with fellow Italian Panichi and newly-recruited physiotherapist Ulises Badio.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/jude-bellingham-aurelien-tchouameni-back-for-real-madrids-champions-league-opener-confirms-carlo-ancelotti-759154">Jude Bellingham, Aurelien Tchouameni back for Real Madrid's Champions League opener, confirms Carlo Ancelotti</a>

The pair replace Umberto Ferrara and&nbsp;Giacomo Naldi respectively, who Sinner parted ways with before his US Open triumph, after the two positive doping tests in March.&nbsp;

Sinner had explained that the slight traces of clostebol had originated from a spray used by a member of his staff to treat a cut finger.

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) accepted the explanation, leading to a furious backlash from players including Australian Nick Kyrgios.

Panichi notably worked with compatriot Fabio Fognini, German Angelique Kerber, and China's Li Na, before being part of Djokovic's team from 2019 to earlier this year.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Jannik Sinner has hired Novak Djokovic's former fitness coach Marco Panichi in the wake of the world number one being cleared despite testing positive twice for a banned substance.

Jannik Sinner has hired Novak Djokovic's former fitness coach Marco Panichi in the wake of the world number one being cleared despite testing positive twice for a banned substance. "Welcome to the team," Sinner wrote on social media on Monday alongside a photo of himself with fellow Italian Panichi and newly-recruited physiotherapist Ulises Badio. Also Read: Jude Bellingham, Aurelien Tchouameni back for Real Madrid's Champions League opener, confirms Carlo Ancelotti The pair replace Umberto Ferrara and Giacomo Naldi respectively, who Sinner parted ways with before his US Open triumph, after the two positive doping tests in March. Sinner had explained that the slight traces of clostebol had originated from a spray used by a member of his staff to treat a cut finger. The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) accepted the explanation, leading to a furious backlash from players including Australian Nick Kyrgios. Panichi notably worked with compatriot Fabio Fognini, German Angelique Kerber, and China's Li Na, before being part of Djokovic's team from 2019 to earlier this year. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Jannik Sinner hires Novak Djokovic's former fitness coach after doping incident

Coco Gauff joined Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz on the US Open scrap-heap Sunday as the defending champion crashed out to Emma Navarro in a blizzard of mistakes.

Third-ranked Gauff slumped to a 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 fourth round defeat on the back of 19 double faults and 60 unforced errors.&nbsp;

The 20-year-old's exit means Serena Williams remains the last woman to successfully defend the US Open title back in 2014.

"I lost in the first round the last two years and now to be making the quarter-finals is pretty insane," said fellow American Navarro, who will face Spain's Paula Badosa for a place in the semi-finals.

"This is the city I was born in and it feels so special to be playing here. Coco is an amazing player. I have a ton of respect for her and I know she's going to come back here and win this thing again."

Gauff's loss was another body blow to the season's final Grand Slam.

Djokovic, the defending men's champion, was knocked out in the third round to suffer his earliest exit in 18 years.

Fellow crowd-pleaser Alcaraz, the 2022 winner in New York and reigning French Open and Wimbledon champion, was stunned in the second round.

<h2>Gave it my all</h2>

"I gave it my all," said Gauff. "Obviously there were things execution-wise, where I was like, I wish I could serve better. I think if I did that, it would have been a different story."

Navarro had defeated Gauff at Wimbledon in July and was dominant again on Sunday from the outset.

The 23-year-old broke for 4-2 in the first set and sealed the opener in the ninth game where one rally stretched to 27 shots.

Gauff recovered from a break down in the second set to level the tie, but it was a brief respite as she served up three more double faults in the third game of the decider to slip a crucial break down again.

New York-born Badosa reached her first US Open quarter-final with a 6-1, 6-2 win over China's Wang Yafan.

Despite the one-sided scoreline, the first two games took 17 minutes. Badosa saved all eight break points she faced.

"It was so humid I thought I was going to die," said the 26-year-old.&nbsp;

Alexander Zverev, who blew a two-set lead to lose the 2020 final to Dominic Thiem, made his fourth quarter-final by beating Brandon Nakashima of the United States, 3-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2.

Fourth-ranked Zverev served 14 aces and clubbed 51 winners past the 50th-ranked Nakashima.

Up next is a last-eight clash with US 12th seed Taylor Fritz, who came back from two sets down to triumph in the pair's dramatic fourth round clash at Wimbledon in July.

"That was an amazing match. I expect a tough battle -- it always is when I face Taylor," said Zverev.

Fritz knocked out 2022 runner-up and eighth-ranked Casper Ruud 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 on the back of 24 aces to reach his third Grand Slam quarter-final of the year.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/paralympics-2024-indian-shuttler-nitesh-kumar-enters-mens-singles-final-assures-at-least-silver-755088">Paralympics 2024: Indian shuttler Nitesh Kumar enters men's singles final, assures at least silver</a>

<h2>Stay patient</h2>

Alexei Popyrin, the 28th-ranked Australian who shocked 24-time major winner Djokovic, has yet to make a Slam quarter-final.

In the night session, he was battling flamboyant Frances Tiafoe, the 20th-ranked shot-maker who made the semi-finals in 2022 and last-eight 12 months ago.

With Djokovic and Alcaraz eliminated, home fans are dreaming of a first American men's Grand Slam champion since Andy Roddick captured the US Open in 2003.

Waiting in the quarter-finals will be Grigor Dimitrov, the ninth-seeded Bulgarian who put out Russian sixth seed Andrey Rublev, 6-3, 7-6 (7/3), 1-6, 3-6, 6-3.

Dimitrov last made the quarter-finals in 2019 when he defeated Roger Federer in five sets in what proved to be the Swiss legend's final appearance in New York.&nbsp;

"I was playing fairly good today in the first two sets," said 33-year-old Dimitrov, the oldest player left in the men's draw.

"But for some reason, my body got tired a little bit and he wasn't going to give up the match. I had to stay patient."

Women's second seed and Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka, runner-up to Gauff last year, eased into a fourth successive quarter-final by seeing off Belgium's Elise Mertens 6-2, 6-4, unleashing 41 winners.

Sabalenka will next face either Zheng Qinwen or Donna Vekic who were facing off in a repeat of the Olympic Games final won by the Chinese star.

Coco Gauff joined Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz on the US Open scrap-heap Sunday as the defending champion crashed out to Emma Navarro in a blizzard of mistakes.

Coco Gauff joined Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz on the US Open scrap-heap Sunday as the defending champion crashed out to Emma Navarro in a blizzard of mistakes. Third-ranked Gauff slumped to a 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 fourth round defeat on the back of 19 double faults and 60 unforced errors. The 20-year-old's exit means Serena Williams remains the last woman to successfully defend the US Open title back in 2014. "I lost in the first round the last two years and now to be making the quarter-finals is pretty insane," said fellow American Navarro, who will face Spain's Paula Badosa for a place in the semi-finals. "This is the city I was born in and it feels so special to be playing here. Coco is an amazing player. I have a ton of respect for her and I know she's going to come back here and win this thing again." Gauff's loss was another body blow to the season's final Grand Slam. Djokovic, the defending men's champion, was knocked out in the third round to suffer his earliest exit in 18 years. Fellow crowd-pleaser Alcaraz, the 2022 winner in New York and reigning French Open and Wimbledon champion, was stunned in the second round. Gave it my all "I gave it my all," said Gauff. "Obviously there were things execution-wise, where I was like, I wish I could serve better. I think if I did that, it would have been a different story." Navarro had defeated Gauff at Wimbledon in July and was dominant again on Sunday from the outset. The 23-year-old broke for 4-2 in the first set and sealed the opener in the ninth game where one rally stretched to 27 shots. Gauff recovered from a break down in the second set to level the tie, but it was a brief respite as she served up three more double faults in the third game of the decider to slip a crucial break down again. New York-born Badosa reached her first US Open quarter-final with a 6-1, 6-2 win over China's Wang Yafan. Despite the one-sided scoreline, the first two games took 17 minutes. Badosa saved all eight break points she faced. "It was so humid I thought I was going to die," said the 26-year-old. Alexander Zverev, who blew a two-set lead to lose the 2020 final to Dominic Thiem, made his fourth quarter-final by beating Brandon Nakashima of the United States, 3-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2. Fourth-ranked Zverev served 14 aces and clubbed 51 winners past the 50th-ranked Nakashima. Up next is a last-eight clash with US 12th seed Taylor Fritz, who came back from two sets down to triumph in the pair's dramatic fourth round clash at Wimbledon in July. "That was an amazing match. I expect a tough battle -- it always is when I face Taylor," said Zverev. Fritz knocked out 2022 runner-up and eighth-ranked Casper Ruud 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 on the back of 24 aces to reach his third Grand Slam quarter-final of the year. ALSO READ | Paralympics 2024: Indian shuttler Nitesh Kumar enters men's singles final, assures at least silver Stay patient Alexei Popyrin, the 28th-ranked Australian who shocked 24-time major winner Djokovic, has yet to make a Slam quarter-final. In the night session, he was battling flamboyant Frances Tiafoe, the 20th-ranked shot-maker who made the semi-finals in 2022 and last-eight 12 months ago. With Djokovic and Alcaraz eliminated, home fans are dreaming of a first American men's Grand Slam champion since Andy Roddick captured the US Open in 2003. Waiting in the quarter-finals will be Grigor Dimitrov, the ninth-seeded Bulgarian who put out Russian sixth seed Andrey Rublev, 6-3, 7-6 (7/3), 1-6, 3-6, 6-3. Dimitrov last made the quarter-finals in 2019 when he defeated Roger Federer in five sets in what proved to be the Swiss legend's final appearance in New York. "I was playing fairly good today in the first two sets," said 33-year-old Dimitrov, the oldest player left in the men's draw. "But for some reason, my body got tired a little bit and he wasn't going to give up the match. I had to stay patient." Women's second seed and Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka, runner-up to Gauff last year, eased into a fourth successive quarter-final by seeing off Belgium's Elise Mertens 6-2, 6-4, unleashing 41 winners. Sabalenka will next face either Zheng Qinwen or Donna Vekic who were facing off in a repeat of the Olympic Games final won by the Chinese star.

US Open 2024: Coco Gauff slumps to defeat as defending champion bows out in fourth round

Former world number one Novak Djokovic was stunned at&nbsp;US Open 2024&nbsp;with a shocking loss to&nbsp;Alexei Popyrin, of Australia, in the third-round of the men's singles on Friday (Aug 30), at the Arthur Ashe Stadium. With this, Djokovic -- who recently won gold in the Paris Olympics -- ended the calendar year without a Grand Slam title for the first time since 2017. Moreover, this became the first-ever instance for Djokovic to not reach the fourth-round of the US Open in 18 years. He went down to Popyrin&nbsp;in four sets -- 4-6, 4-6, 6-2, 4-6.

Djokovic didn't look in his elements from the word go. He lacked energy to dictate terms and plenty of unforced errors pushed him back, with a lot to be done in the latter half. While the Serb is someone who is known to make a late comeback, making a comeback eight&nbsp;times from two sets down in Grand Slams, it wasn't meant to be&nbsp;this&nbsp;time around versus Popyrin.

Popyrin started confidently versus the defending champion and was up for the challenge. Djokovic's lacklustre form helped his cause as he won the first two sets with ease, 6-4, 6-4. While the Serb showed his class and experience to win the third&nbsp;set, Popyrin was in no mood to take the game to the fifth set. He brought his A-game, pumping up the crowd in the penultimate set. He got a double break up early in the set and&nbsp;matched Djokovic shot-to-shot from the baseline. His incredible display of groundstrokes and&nbsp;forehand winners ensured the end of Djokovic's campaign at the ongoing US Open.

While Djokovic's serves let him down big time,&nbsp;win percentage of just 54 per cent, he made as many as 49 unforced errors (one less than Popyrin but they came at crucial moments of the contest).

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tennis/news-us-open-2024-frances-tiafoe-out-duels-ben-shelton-in-electrifying-five-set-thriller-754735">US Open 2024: Frances Tiafoe out-duels Ben Shelton in electrifying five-set thriller</a>

<h2>'Played some of my worst tennis ever'</h2>

After the loss, Djokovic said, "The way I played from the beginning of the tournament reaching the third round is a success. I have played some of my worst tennis ever."

Djokovic admitted that the effort and aftermath of winning an Olympic gold, in Paris,&nbsp;early this month,&nbsp;impacted his&nbsp;New York campaign.

The 37-year-old&nbsp;opined, "Obviously it had an effect. I spent a lot of energy winning the gold, and I did arrive to New York just not feeling fresh mentally and physically.&nbsp;But because it's the US Open, I gave it a shot and I tried my best. I didn't have any physical issues. I just felt out of gas."

With the loss, Djokovic remains tied with&nbsp;Margaret Court with 24 Grand Slam titles (most-ever). This is the second upset at this year's&nbsp;US Open after Carlos Alcaraz's exit, a day before, losing to Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp in straight sets. Thus, this&nbsp;became the first instance since 1973 where the second and the third seeds&nbsp;bowed out before the fourth-round in the men's singles at the US Open.&nbsp;

Former world number one Novak Djokovic was stunned at US Open 2024 with a shocking loss to Alexei Popyrin, of Australia, in the third-round of the men's singles on Friday (Aug 30), at the Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Former world number one Novak Djokovic was stunned at US Open 2024 with a shocking loss to Alexei Popyrin, of Australia, in the third-round of the men's singles on Friday (Aug 30), at the Arthur Ashe Stadium. With this, Djokovic -- who recently won gold in the Paris Olympics -- ended the calendar year without a Grand Slam title for the first time since 2017. Moreover, this became the first-ever instance for Djokovic to not reach the fourth-round of the US Open in 18 years. He went down to Popyrin in four sets -- 4-6, 4-6, 6-2, 4-6. Djokovic didn't look in his elements from the word go. He lacked energy to dictate terms and plenty of unforced errors pushed him back, with a lot to be done in the latter half. While the Serb is someone who is known to make a late comeback, making a comeback eight times from two sets down in Grand Slams, it wasn't meant to be this time around versus Popyrin. Popyrin started confidently versus the defending champion and was up for the challenge. Djokovic's lacklustre form helped his cause as he won the first two sets with ease, 6-4, 6-4. While the Serb showed his class and experience to win the third set, Popyrin was in no mood to take the game to the fifth set. He brought his A-game, pumping up the crowd in the penultimate set. He got a double break up early in the set and matched Djokovic shot-to-shot from the baseline. His incredible display of groundstrokes and forehand winners ensured the end of Djokovic's campaign at the ongoing US Open. While Djokovic's serves let him down big time, win percentage of just 54 per cent, he made as many as 49 unforced errors (one less than Popyrin but they came at crucial moments of the contest). Also read: US Open 2024: Frances Tiafoe out-duels Ben Shelton in electrifying five-set thriller 'Played some of my worst tennis ever' After the loss, Djokovic said, "The way I played from the beginning of the tournament reaching the third round is a success. I have played some of my worst tennis ever." Djokovic admitted that the effort and aftermath of winning an Olympic gold, in Paris, early this month, impacted his New York campaign. The 37-year-old opined, "Obviously it had an effect. I spent a lot of energy winning the gold, and I did arrive to New York just not feeling fresh mentally and physically. But because it's the US Open, I gave it a shot and I tried my best. I didn't have any physical issues. I just felt out of gas." With the loss, Djokovic remains tied with Margaret Court with 24 Grand Slam titles (most-ever). This is the second upset at this year's US Open after Carlos Alcaraz's exit, a day before, losing to Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp in straight sets. Thus, this became the first instance since 1973 where the second and the third seeds bowed out before the fourth-round in the men's singles at the US Open.

US Open 2024: Novak Djokovic bows out after loss to Alexei Popyrin, ends calendar year without a Grand Slam

Novak Djokovic will aim for a fast start against fellow Serbian Laslo Djere on Wednesday as he steps up his bid for a record 25th Grand Slam singles title at the US Open. Djere, ranked 109th in the world, was the only player to take a set off Djokovic at last year's US Open, taking the first two of their third-round clash before Djokovic turned the tide on the way to a 24th major crown, which tied him with Margaret Court for most all-time.

Djokovic, coming off an emotional triumph at the Paris Olympics, anchored a night session on Arthur Ashe Stadium that opened with defending women's champion Coco Gauff beating 37-year-old Tatjana Maria 6-4, 6-0.

It was an uneven performance from 20-year-old Gauff, who has endured an erratic season since capturing her maiden major in New York.

She put just 44 percent of her first serves in play and had nine double faults, but the 99th-ranked Maria couldn't capitalize and Gauff won the last seven games to seal the win. "I think I played well overall," Gauff said. "I think if I could have served better that first set would have been a lot easier."

Djokovic, 37, had quipped that while he enjoys the energy of night sessions he could do with an earlier bedtime.

But he could be grateful to miss the worst heat of a steamy day that saw tournament organizers invoke the extreme weather rule and allows mid-match breaks to distressed players in long matches.

Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka, runner-up to Gauff last year, didn't have to take advantage, polishing off Italian Lucia Bronzetti 6-3, 6-1 in an hour. The world number two from Belarus, aiming to become the first woman since Angelique Kerber in 2016 to win both hard court Grand Slam titles in the same year, said she was determined to make it a quick.

"I told myself you have to stay focused from the first point to the last point and make sure you're not going to stay here a crazy number of hours," Sabalenka said.

Seventh-seeded Paris Olympics gold medallist Zheng Qinwen had to go the distance, rallying from a set down for the second straight match to reach the third round with a 6-7 (3-7), 6-1, 6-2 victory over Russian Erika Andreeva.

Eighth-seeded Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova became the biggest upset victim of the tournament so far, bounced 6-4, 7-5 by Romanian qualifier Elena-Gabriela Ruse.

Also read:&nbsp;

<h2>- Amazing tennis -</h2>

In men's action, fourth-seeded Alexander Zverev of Germany advanced on cue with a 6-4, 7-6 (7/5), 6-1 victory over France's Alexandre Muller. "I thought he played some amazing tennis. Especially at the end of the second set, I thought he was the better player than me," Zverev said. "I am happy to be done in three sets, to have some rest as it is very hot and tough conditions."

Zverev next faces Argentina's Tomas Etcheverry, who appeared to be feeling the heat when he vomited on court during his 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 1-6, 6-3 victory over compatriot Francisco Cerundolo. Etcheverry fired 23 aces to finally seal the win after more than four hours.

"The conditions were very difficult, honestly," Etcheverry said. "We were expecting them, but the temperature was 38 degrees and to that we have to add another four degrees inside the court. "You had to hydrate well, try to take as many salts and hydrates as possible and I overdid it, that's why I ended up vomiting. "It's dangerous not only for the players, but also for the public," he added.

Sixth-seeded Russian Andrey Rublev and Czech Jiri Lehecka both battled through five sets to line up a third-round meeting.

Rublev, a four-time US Open quarter-finalist, beat France's Arthur Rinderknech 4-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 while Lehecka out-lasted American Mitchell Krueger 6-7 (5/7), 0-6, 6-4, 6-4, 7-5.

Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk had little energy to celebrate her 7-6 (12/10), 6-1 victory over Britain's Harriet Dart, making her way to her courtside chair and re-applying ice packs to her head and neck.

Novak Djokovic will aim for a fast start against fellow Serbian Laslo Djere on Wednesday as he steps up his bid for a record 25th Grand Slam singles title at the US Open.

Novak Djokovic will aim for a fast start against fellow Serbian Laslo Djere on Wednesday as he steps up his bid for a record 25th Grand Slam singles title at the US Open. Djere, ranked 109th in the world, was the only player to take a set off Djokovic at last year's US Open, taking the first two of their third-round clash before Djokovic turned the tide on the way to a 24th major crown, which tied him with Margaret Court for most all-time. Djokovic, coming off an emotional triumph at the Paris Olympics, anchored a night session on Arthur Ashe Stadium that opened with defending women's champion Coco Gauff beating 37-year-old Tatjana Maria 6-4, 6-0. It was an uneven performance from 20-year-old Gauff, who has endured an erratic season since capturing her maiden major in New York. She put just 44 percent of her first serves in play and had nine double faults, but the 99th-ranked Maria couldn't capitalize and Gauff won the last seven games to seal the win. "I think I played well overall," Gauff said. "I think if I could have served better that first set would have been a lot easier." Djokovic, 37, had quipped that while he enjoys the energy of night sessions he could do with an earlier bedtime. But he could be grateful to miss the worst heat of a steamy day that saw tournament organizers invoke the extreme weather rule and allows mid-match breaks to distressed players in long matches. Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka, runner-up to Gauff last year, didn't have to take advantage, polishing off Italian Lucia Bronzetti 6-3, 6-1 in an hour. The world number two from Belarus, aiming to become the first woman since Angelique Kerber in 2016 to win both hard court Grand Slam titles in the same year, said she was determined to make it a quick. "I told myself you have to stay focused from the first point to the last point and make sure you're not going to stay here a crazy number of hours," Sabalenka said. Seventh-seeded Paris Olympics gold medallist Zheng Qinwen had to go the distance, rallying from a set down for the second straight match to reach the third round with a 6-7 (3-7), 6-1, 6-2 victory over Russian Erika Andreeva. Eighth-seeded Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova became the biggest upset victim of the tournament so far, bounced 6-4, 7-5 by Romanian qualifier Elena-Gabriela Ruse. Also read: - Amazing tennis - In men's action, fourth-seeded Alexander Zverev of Germany advanced on cue with a 6-4, 7-6 (7/5), 6-1 victory over France's Alexandre Muller. "I thought he played some amazing tennis. Especially at the end of the second set, I thought he was the better player than me," Zverev said. "I am happy to be done in three sets, to have some rest as it is very hot and tough conditions." Zverev next faces Argentina's Tomas Etcheverry, who appeared to be feeling the heat when he vomited on court during his 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 1-6, 6-3 victory over compatriot Francisco Cerundolo. Etcheverry fired 23 aces to finally seal the win after more than four hours. "The conditions were very difficult, honestly," Etcheverry said. "We were expecting them, but the temperature was 38 degrees and to that we have to add another four degrees inside the court. "You had to hydrate well, try to take as many salts and hydrates as possible and I overdid it, that's why I ended up vomiting. "It's dangerous not only for the players, but also for the public," he added. Sixth-seeded Russian Andrey Rublev and Czech Jiri Lehecka both battled through five sets to line up a third-round meeting. Rublev, a four-time US Open quarter-finalist, beat France's Arthur Rinderknech 4-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 while Lehecka out-lasted American Mitchell Krueger 6-7 (5/7), 0-6, 6-4, 6-4, 7-5. Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk had little energy to celebrate her 7-6 (12/10), 6-1 victory over Britain's Harriet Dart, making her way to her courtside chair and re-applying ice packs to her head and neck.

Novak Djokovic tackles Laslo Djere, Coco Gauff shines under US Open lights

Novak Djokovic's bid for a record 25th Grand Slam title kicked off on Monday with a rusty 6-2 6-2 6-4 win over qualifier Radu Albot in the U.S. Open first round as the defending champion returned to the court after his Olympic triumph.

Three weeks after winning the singles title at the Paris Games, Djokovic toted his rackets and gear in a pair of gold-coloured bags onto centre court where the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd gave him a hero's welcome.

But the Serb's golden touch was decidedly lacking in the late-night match as he struggled with serve and racked up nearly twice as many unforced errors as winners.

For all that, he had more than enough weapons to handle Moldovan Albot in their first tour clash and claim a record 78th win at Arthur Ashe under a closed roof.

"I was not aware of it, to be honest with you," Djokovic said of the centre court milestone. "It's definitely the loudest stadium we have in the history of our sport. The night sessions are the best in the world here."

While having never played Albot before, Djokovic said he had done his homework on the 34-year-old who beat both his younger brothers Marko and Djordje during their playing days.

"They both lost to him so hopefully I can avenge my brothers tonight," he told ESPN commentator Brad Gilbert with a laugh before taking the court.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tennis/news-former-us-open-champion-dominic-thiem-exits-first-round-after-straight-set-defeat-to-american-shelton-753557">Former US Open champion Dominic Thiem exits first round after straight-set defeat to American Shelton</a>

Djokovic duly avenged the family name in three clunky sets but he will hope for better from his game as he looks to move past Margaret Court on the all-time Grand Slam winners' list.

With 10 double-faults, his serve was wild by his usual standards, and he winced throughout the night as 40 unforced errors piled up.

His coach Nenad Zimonjic was an animated presence, barking instructions in Serbian at the wayward champion, who could convert only six out of 16 break points.

Though Djokovic was well off his best, Albot was unable to make the world number two pay.

After bright starts in the first two sets, he crumbled on serve in each of them before making a better game of the third.

In the twilight of a record-smashing career, Djokovic is eyeing several milestones in New York, including a fifth title at Flushing Meadows to match the professional era record held by Pete Sampras, Jimmy Connors and Roger Federer.

He also hopes to become the first back-to-back winner in the men's singles since Federer's run of five successive titles from 2004-08.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Novak Djokovic's bid for a record 25th Grand Slam title kicked off on Monday with a rusty 6-2 6-2 6-4 win over qualifier Radu Albot in the U.S. Open first round as the defending champion returned to the court after his Olympic triumph.

Novak Djokovic's bid for a record 25th Grand Slam title kicked off on Monday with a rusty 6-2 6-2 6-4 win over qualifier Radu Albot in the U.S. Open first round as the defending champion returned to the court after his Olympic triumph. Three weeks after winning the singles title at the Paris Games, Djokovic toted his rackets and gear in a pair of gold-coloured bags onto centre court where the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd gave him a hero's welcome. But the Serb's golden touch was decidedly lacking in the late-night match as he struggled with serve and racked up nearly twice as many unforced errors as winners. For all that, he had more than enough weapons to handle Moldovan Albot in their first tour clash and claim a record 78th win at Arthur Ashe under a closed roof. "I was not aware of it, to be honest with you," Djokovic said of the centre court milestone. "It's definitely the loudest stadium we have in the history of our sport. The night sessions are the best in the world here." While having never played Albot before, Djokovic said he had done his homework on the 34-year-old who beat both his younger brothers Marko and Djordje during their playing days. "They both lost to him so hopefully I can avenge my brothers tonight," he told ESPN commentator Brad Gilbert with a laugh before taking the court. ALSO READ: Former US Open champion Dominic Thiem exits first round after straight-set defeat to American Shelton Djokovic duly avenged the family name in three clunky sets but he will hope for better from his game as he looks to move past Margaret Court on the all-time Grand Slam winners' list. With 10 double-faults, his serve was wild by his usual standards, and he winced throughout the night as 40 unforced errors piled up. His coach Nenad Zimonjic was an animated presence, barking instructions in Serbian at the wayward champion, who could convert only six out of 16 break points. Though Djokovic was well off his best, Albot was unable to make the world number two pay. After bright starts in the first two sets, he crumbled on serve in each of them before making a better game of the third. In the twilight of a record-smashing career, Djokovic is eyeing several milestones in New York, including a fifth title at Flushing Meadows to match the professional era record held by Pete Sampras, Jimmy Connors and Roger Federer. He also hopes to become the first back-to-back winner in the men's singles since Federer's run of five successive titles from 2004-08. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

US Open 2024: Novak Djokovic begins quest for record Slam run with rusty first-round win

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