John McEnroe appeared to suggest that Novak Djokovic deliberately took a medical timeout during his Australian Open quarterfinal against Carlos Alcaraz in an attempt to disrupt the Spaniard’s momentum.
After the No. 3 seed broke Djokovic in the ninth game of the first set, the 37-year-old Serbian called for the physio. Following a brief discussion, Djokovic left the court to receive medical treatment for what seemed to be a thigh or groin issue. Upon his return, his left leg was strapped.
“This isn’t the first time we’ve seen this routine. Don’t be fooled,” McEnroe remarked on air from ESPN’s commentary booth, prompting his brother Patrick to ask, “Did you see this coming?” McEnroe simply replied, “Yes.”
Despite the interruption, Djokovic went on to win the match, though he later expressed genuine concern about his physical condition.
After the medical timeout, Alcaraz quickly closed out the first set, but Djokovic dominated the rest of the match, winning 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4.
Addressing any speculation that he was exaggerating the injury, Djokovic dismissed such claims and admitted he was worried about his fitness.
“I will do as much as I can with my recovery team, with my physio, today, tomorrow, and the next few days. I’ll probably skip training tomorrow, and I’ll see if I train the day after or not,” Djokovic explained. “I’ll take it day by day. It’s really about recovery now. I am concerned, physically, to be honest. But if I can get physically ready, I think mentally and emotionally, I’m as motivated as ever.”
With his semifinal against Alexander Zverev scheduled for Friday, Djokovic has two full days to address his injury concerns before the crucial match.
