And there are still people who think Djokovic was pretending

Jose Morón | 24 Jan 2025 | 07.51

And there are still people who think Djokovic was pretending. Photo: Getty

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It had been just a minute since Novak Djokovic decided it was enough, ending his participation in the Australian Open, when the audience at Rod Laver Arena chose to bid farewell to the Serbian with boos. Shameful, to say the least. It's very sad that a legend of this sport like Nole is booed in that way after an injury, as if he had chosen to suffer that mishap and not be able to keep playing.

For Novak to continue in tennis is good for everyone. We are talking about a figure that will be remembered forever in history. In 200 years, if there is anything left of humanity, people will speak of a certain Djokovic who became the best in history and at 37 years old was defeating guys 16-17 years younger than him. Maybe it will be then when his current actions are recognized and valued. Unjust what he is going through, no doubt.

You may like him or not, but one thing is clear, at almost 38 years old, Novak could have been retired for 2-3 years, enjoying life on the beach with his family and not having to subject himself to public scrutiny like this. If he is still here, it is because he loves tennis and many are not aware of how much tennis benefits from Djokovic continuing to play actively.

Nole is the reason why people spend four figures to catch a plane, book a hotel room, and get a ticket to see him anywhere in the world. Why many set their alarm clocks for four-thirty in the morning because, deep down, they have the itch to know if he could make it back against Zverev, even knowing he was very injured. Why they spend hours watching videos on Youtube debating about his figure. Why they spend the whole morning reading news online and commenting on Twitter about what happened.

Now, tell me how many of those thousands would do the same for figures without charisma, without appeal. For tennis players who openly declare they don't like tennis and engage in it solely for the money. The current tennis popularity is thanks to rivalries, contrasting styles, and engaging personalities, and Novak Djokovic has always been there. His presence adds an incredible extra to the current circuit, where Alcaraz and Sinner are the stars, with Nole showing everyone the type of player he has been and still is, capable of surpassing many of these youngsters.

They still think he was faking it.

It's curious to continue reading comments, even today, after his withdrawal, affirming that Nole was faking it. It makes perfect sense. Djokovic was going to feign an injury the day of Alcaraz to win with a bandaged thigh, not even train for two days, to retire today after the first set. Of course. Very logical.

One thing is that Djokovic may exaggerate a physical issue on occasion and use that as mental tactics, and another is to make up the injury. Alcaraz, the other day, was a bit naïve for not pushing when Nole was struggling. Djokovic himself said that if he had lost the second set to Carlos, he probably would have done what he did today: retire. And today's outcome must sting a little more for Alcaraz, who could have pushed harder in that second set. But he didn't, he gave Nole a chance, and he lost. A lesson to learn for the next time.

Alongside Nadal, Djokovic has shown that his pain threshold is in unreachable realms for the rest of mortals. Even injured or in discomfort, he can still win matches. That's why many woke up early to see if Nole could do it once again. Because he did it in the past and because he could have done it today. Watching Zverev's level today, by the way, a healthy Djokovic would have taken the semifinal, no doubt.

Those who booed him when leaving the court may have done so because they couldn't enjoy more tennis for the price they paid. They would do well to see things from a different perspective. In 20 years, when Nole is no longer on the circuit, they would surely pay the price of a ticket to see him play one more set. We're talking about this possibly being Nole's last match at the Australian Open, and he had to leave being booed after winning there 10 times. Something for many to reconsider.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Y todavía hay gente que piensa que Djokovic fingía