Alexander Zverev reaches the final of the Australian Open for the first time because Novak Djokovic cannot continue after the first set due to a torn muscle. The record winner hints he may never compete in Melbourne again.
After almost an hour of play, a German fan in the Rod Laver Arena apparently wanted Alexander Zverev to lose the semi-final duel against Novak Djokovic: “Sascha, keep it up,” he shouted loudly. That could only have been meant as meanness, because up until then – it was 4:4 in the first set – Zverev had acted passively, hesitantly, even fearfully against Djokovic, who clearly had huge problems. The first serve simply didn’t want to land in the field; at the beginning it managed a rate of just 20 percent; The bandaged thigh, which was clearly visible when we landed, was obviously very painful. Zverev could have grabbed hold and shown with a courageous style of play: I’m here, I’m going to win today! But he didn’t do that – and basically he didn’t win either: He went through because the Serb had to give up after losing the tiebreak in the first set.