Toni Nadal tries to explain the reason behind the boos towards Djokovic

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Once the 2025 Australian Open concluded, a title retained by Jannik Sinner, it's time to review some of the highlight moments from the past two weeks. One of the standout moments was undoubtedly the withdrawal of Novak Djokovic in the semifinal against Alexander Zverev. The Serbian player only completed one set before throwing in the towel, sparking the anger of the crowd at Rod Laver Arena, bidding farewell to the 10-time tournament champion amidst boos.

Why? The discussion around Nole and his alleged feigned injuries continues even after the tournament ended. In fact, Toni Nadal is one of those who have addressed this issue. Many people wonder how the Serbian managed to defeat Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinals when he seemed physically spent and on the verge of retirement. Nevertheless, it happened against the German after a challenging first set where he did not show any clear discomfort.

According to the former coach and uncle of Rafa Nadal, there are two reasons underlying these criticisms. On one hand, he understands why the audience was upset after paying a fortune to watch that match. On the other, Toni also believes that this is not the first time Djokovic could have exaggerated his discomfort. "Another issue to consider is why there was such an outburst in the stands once the events unfolded. First of all, I understand that the public showed their disappointment and anger at being deprived of the expected spectacle after purchasing a ticket for it. 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," he wrote in El País.

Thus, Toni tries to somehow comprehend the reaction of an audience that felt deceived for not witnessing even a single sign indicating Djokovic's retirement. Often, we have seen the Serbian player express even the slightest pain through his body language. "When a player faces physical problems in such a match, they typically delay the decision to withdraw until the last moment. They call the physio, struggle through a few games with limitations and only when realizing the inevitable, do they opt for retirement. On several occasions, we have seen Novak with similar performances, using facial expressions and body language that contradict what we see on the court, raising doubts about the authenticity of his issues," expressed Toni.

His Support for the Legend

Regardless, a legend like Nole does not deserve a farewell like the one he had in Melbourne, as no one can truly imagine for a single moment what one of the greatest athletes in history truly feels or thinks, having written so much history there. This is the belief of the Spanish figure, who, despite any controversies that may arise, will always wish the best for one of his nephew's greatest rivals. "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. 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".

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Toni Nadal intenta explicar el porqué de los abucheos a Djokovic