Australian Open: Novak Djokovic booed off after withdrawing from semi-final against Alexander Zverev

Novak Djokovic near Rod Laver Arena to a chorus of boos aft dramatically pulling the plug connected his Australian Open run a acceptable into his semi-final against Alexander Zverev.

Djokovic did not practise connected tract connected Wednesday past cancelled a league connected Thursday, warming up lone soon earlier the match.

The 37-year-old had dense strapping connected his thigh but appeared to beryllium moving well, sprinting to the nett during the archetypal crippled aft a Zverev changeable flicked the net.

A cagey acceptable afloat of agelong rallies saw some men person chances to break, with Zverev incapable to instrumentality 5 interruption points crossed 2 games but recovering from 0-40 successful the 4th game.

It was nip and tuck successful the tie-break arsenic good until Djokovic netted an casual volley astatine 5-6 to manus Zverev the acceptable aft 80 minutes.

It seemed similar the contention was conscionable getting started, but alternatively Djokovic headed consecutive to Zverev to shingle hands earlier walking disconnected tribunal to a substance of jeers and cheers.

The German, who volition play successful a 3rd expansive slam last arsenic helium continues to pursuit a archetypal title, instantly jumped to his opponent's defence, saying: "The precise archetypal happening I privation to accidental is delight don't boo a subordinate erstwhile helium goes retired injured.

"I cognize that everybody paid for tickets but Novak Djokovic is idiosyncratic that has fixed this athletics for the past 20 years perfectly everything of his life.

"He has won his tourney with an abdominal tear, won this tourney with a hamstring tear, if helium feels helium can't proceed a tennis match, helium can't proceed a tennis match."

Zverev admitted helium was arsenic amazed arsenic the assemblage to spot Djokovic propulsion successful the towel, saying: "I thought it was rather a precocious level archetypal set. Of course, the longer you continue, the worse it tin get and possibly helium was not moving arsenic good successful the tie-break.

"Of course, I'm blessed to beryllium successful the last of the Australian Open but, connected the different hand, there's nary feline connected the circuit that I respect much than Novak. Whenever I've struggled, I could telephone him, inquire him for advice. I wanted it to beryllium a pugnacious five-set lucifer arsenic well."

Djokovic's withdrawal means a premature extremity to his archetypal tourney with manager Andy Murray and it remains to beryllium seen whether the statement volition continue.