MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — If it seems as if there’s always something going on with Novak Djokovic at Grand Slam tournaments, that’s because there usually is. Even Djokovic himself acknowledged as much as he prepared to face Alexander Zverev in the Australian Open semifinals Friday after taking painkillers for a hurt left leg.
“I don’t recall the last time it was any Slam without some form of drama, to be honest. I guess that’s part of it. We are out here competing and giving our best to grab a Grand Slam title,” said the 37-year-old Djokovic, who needed a medical timeout and got his leg taped while eliminating 21-year-old Carlos Alcaraz in a quarterfinal that felt like a final to the winner.
“A lot of things happen on the way,” added Djokovic, who also got involved over the weekend in a dispute with a local TV commentator who insulted him on the air. “That’s OK.”
Without saying exactly what’s wrong with his leg, Djokovic did say this injury is “very similar” to what happened to him at the Australian Open in 2023, when he dealt with a bad left hamstring … and left with the trophy.
The other men’s semifinal is No. 1 Jannik Sinner, a 23-year-old Italian who is the defending champion and unbeaten in his last 19 matches, against No. 21 Ben Shelton, a 22-year-old Floridian in his second major semifinal.