According to a report from Serbia, it has been asserted that a fever played a crucial role in Novak Djokovic’s unexpected loss in the Australian Open semi-final. Statements attributed to journalist Luka Nikolić on social media suggest that the 24-time Grand Slam winner was contending with a fever on the night before his defeat to eventual champion Jannik Sinner.Luka Nikolić, reportedly employed by Meridian Sport Global and with prior experience at sports outlet B92, stated this week that Novak Djokovic contracted a fever on the night before the semi-final.Nikolić further explained that Djokovic had been unwell for three weeks, experiencing a relapse just before the match. This extended illness impacted his performance in the first two sets, visibly showcasing weakness. Reportedly, Djokovic chose not to consult a doctor to avoid media interference and unnecessary attention.
After Nikolić’s revelations, numerous fans of Novak Djokovic expressed the belief that the outcome might have been different if the 36-year-old had been in optimal health.
“Anyone who was watching this match knew something was VERY off. This makes complete sense,” remarked one supporter on Twitter.
“Plenty of us knew Novak wasn’t right from the first ball of that match. We all know that he will be back and better than ever,” echoed another fan.
A third person commented, “That seems right. He looked flat all match. Didn’t even shout at his box, which he does even when winning comfortably.”
Despite these sentiments, Djokovic’s fans seemed to overlook the outstanding performance of Jannik Sinner, who didn’t allow a single break-point opportunity to the world No.1 across four sets.
Following the match, Novak Djokovic acknowledged Jannik Sinner’s excellence and candidly admitted to his own subpar on-court performance.
“I was shocked with my level, in a bad way. There was not much I was doing right in the first two sets. I guess this is one of the worst grand slam matches I’ve ever played, at least that I remember,” Djokovic remarked.
“It’s not a very pleasant feeling. But at the same time, credit to Jannik for doing everything better than me. I tried, I fought. Just overall…the level of my tennis was really not great.”