Authenticity of Novak Djokovic's injuries questioned by Toni Nadal
What's the story
Tennis star Rafael Nadal's coach Toni Nadal has cast doubts over the legitimacy of Novak Djokovic's perpetual injuries.
The skepticism comes after Djokovic withdrew from the 2025 Australian Open semi-final against Alexander Zverev, citing a hamstring injury. The Serb dropped the first set before pulling out of the match.
The injury was reportedly sustained during a quarter-final match against Carlos Alcaraz.
Pattern observed
Toni highlights pattern in Djokovic's career
Nadal highlighted a pattern in Djokovic's career, where medical timeouts have often coincided with shifts in game momentum.
He voiced these concerns in his column for Spanish newspaper El Pais, saying "Over the years, there has been a growing suspicion around Novak, due to his expressions or histrionics, casting doubt on the authenticity of his injuries."
Behavior questioned
Toni questions Djokovic's on-court behavior
Further, Nadal questioned Djokovic's on-court behavior during physical setbacks in matches.
He said players usually delay their decision to withdraw till the last moment, struggling through a few games before opting for retirement.
But he noticed that Djokovic often displays facial expressions and body language contradicting his performance on the court, which raises questions about the legitimacy of his issues.
Doubts echoed
McEnroe also questions Djokovic's injury authenticity
Notably, John McEnroe, an analyst for Channel Nine, also echoed Nadal's doubts during the match against Alcaraz.
He said, "This isn't the first time we've seen this routine. Don't be fooled."
These comments only add to the growing skepticism surrounding Djokovic's injuries and his on-court behavior during physically challenging matches.
Defense stated
Djokovic defends himself on social media
Addressing the skepticism, Djokovic took to Instagram to defend himself by posting pictures of his injury.
He said, "Toward the end of that first set I just started feeling more and more pain."
He added, "I know how my body works, what I feel, and I know how much I've given to this tournament in the past 20-plus years."
Twitter Post
Djokovic calls out sports injury 'experts'
Thought I’d leave this here for all the sports injury “experts” out there. pic.twitter.com/ZO5mBtw9zB
— Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) January 25, 2025