Rafael Nadal's uncle and former coach, Toni Nadal, has questioned the legitimacy of Novak Djokovic's recent injury claims. The 37-year-old, Serbian had to withdraw from the semifinals of the Australian Open 2025 against Alexander Zverev due to a hamstring injury sustained during his quarterfinal match against Carlos Alcaraz. Djokovic was booed by the crowd at the Rod Laver Arena when he waved a at them and showed thumbs up.
Toni Nadal shared his thoughts in a column for El País, writing, “When players face physical problems in critical matches, they usually delay withdrawing until it’s absolutely unavoidable. They call for the physio, play a few games despite their limitations, and only retire when it’s clear they can’t continue.”
He continued, “With Novak, we’ve often seen performances where his body language and expressions don’t align with what’s happening on the court, raising doubts about the authenticity of his injuries.”
Djokovic responds to fake injury claims
Toni’s concerns echo those of tennis analyst John McEnroe, who commented on Channel Nine during the match against Alcaraz, saying, “This isn’t the first time we’ve seen this routine. Don’t be fooled.”
In response to the speculation, Djokovic took to Instagram, sharing photos of his injury. He addressed the situation, saying, “Towards the end of that first set, I started feeling more and more pain. It’s an unfortunate ending, but I tried.”
Reflecting on his efforts, Djokovic added after his win against Alcaraz, “I know my body, I know what I feel, and I know how much I’ve given to this tournament over the past 20-plus years. I’ll stop here so I don’t say more than I should.”
