Novak Djokovic responds to boos, criticism after Australian Open retirement

Djokovic was forced to pull out of the contest with a muscle injury after narrowly losing the first set in a tie-break, with the angry reaction of the fans at on Rod Laver Arena crowd sparking a huge debate.

The Serbian went into the match with a cloud hanging over him after he first sustained the injury during his quarter-final match against Carlos Alcaraz earlier in the week.

When he decided he could not continue against Zverev, plenty of spectators booed him as he left the court, prompting his opponent to admonish the crowd.

"Please guys, don't boo a player when he goes out with injury," implored Zverev as he addressed the agitated crowd after the match.

"If he cannot continue with this match, it means he really can't continue."

Djokovic gave his response to the jeers from the crowd in the Serbian section of his press conference in Melbourne, saying: "I don't know what to say. People came, they paid for the tickets expecting a great match and a big fight, which they didn't get.

"From that perspective, I can understand. I am doing my best to understand them, but I am not sure whether they understand me or if they even want to understand me," he said.

"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."

Djokovic also responded to the comments from seven-time Grand Slam singles champion John McEnroe, who suggested the Serbian may have been faking it when he picked up the injury against Alcaraz.

"To be honest, I haven't seen these comments, so I can't say more," Djokovic said. "What I can say is that it's always easier to judge and criticise than to understand. It's a lesson I've learned in life."

"I did everything I possibly can to manage the muscle tear that I had," he added.

"Medications, the strap and the physio work helped to some extent today. But towards the end of that first set I just started feeling more and more pain. It was too much to handle for me at the moment. Unfortunate ending, but I tried.

"Even if I won the first set, it's going to be a huge uphill battle for me to stay physically fit enough to stay with him in the rallies for another God knows what, two, three, four hours. I don't think I had that, unfortunately, today in the tank."

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