Toni Nadal, uncle and former coach of Rafael Nadal, has criticized Novak Djokovic's withdrawal from the Australian Open, questioning the authenticity of his hamstring injury and the lack of a proper withdrawal process.
Toni Nadal, the uncle and former coach of tennis star Rafael Nadal, has criticized Novak Djokovic's dramatic withdrawal from the Australian Open. Djokovic was met with booing from the crowd when he decided to forfeit his match against Alexander Zverev after losing a grueling first set tiebreak on Friday.
Doubts had already been raised about Djokovic's commitment to the tournament when he required several painkillers and strapping for an apparent hamstring injury during his hard-fought four-set quarter-final victory over Carlos Alcaraz on Tuesday night. In that match, Alcaraz appeared to mock Djokovic's injury, while commentator John McEnroe remarked that he had seen it all before (Djokovic overcoming an injury to win the match). Now, Toni Nadal has added his voice to the debate, questioning the lack of a formal injury timeout or consultation with a physiotherapist before Djokovic's withdrawal. 'Firstly, I understand that the public showed their disappointment and anger at being deprived of the spectacle they had been expecting after having paid for it,' Nadal wrote for Spanish media outlet El Pais. 'The second and perhaps most significant reason is that 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.' Nadal emphasized the general practice of players delaying their withdrawal from a match until the last possible moment, often calling for a physiotherapist and battling through several games with limitations before conceding defeat. He pointed to previous instances where Djokovic's behavior, including facial expressions and body language, seemed incongruous with the severity of his on-court struggles, leaving questions about the genuineness of his complaints.While acknowledging the crowd's frustration, Nadal also criticized those who booed Djokovic. 'I believe that a great champion like the Serbian, someone who has contributed to writing the most glorious pages of tennis history, should not depart in this manner from any court and even less so from the Rod Laver Arena, where he holds the records for victories and titles,' he wrote. 'Respect, this is my personal feeling, he truly deserves in that difficult moment, without a doubt, of having to leave the court that has seen him triumph so many times.' Nadal empathized with Djokovic's position, imagining the difficulty of accepting defeat and then facing public disapproval. He hoped for a swift recovery and continued success for Djokovic, but also urged him to regain the public's trust by demonstrating the confidence and leadership expected of a player of his stature. Djokovic has already defended himself, releasing a scan of his injured left hamstring on social media. 'Towards the end of that first set I just started feeling more and more pain,' he said last week. 'Unfortunate ending, but I tried. 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. I will stop here so that I don’t continue (speaking) in the wrong direction.' - With AA
NOVAK DJOKOVIC TONY NADAL AUSTRALIAN OPEN HAMSTRING INJURY WITHDRAWAL
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