Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley has expressed confidence that Novak Djokovic will return to the Grand Slam next year, despite the Serbian’s injury setback that forced him to retire from his semi-final match at Melbourne Park.
Djokovic, a 10-time champion in Melbourne, was forced to withdraw from his match against Germany’s Alexander Zverev on Friday after sustaining a hamstring injury during his quarter-final victory over Carlos Alcaraz. The 37-year-old’s early exit ended his hopes of securing a record-extending 25th Grand Slam title.
“There was some talk about Novak not coming back here – Novak will return,” Tiley told Australian media on Monday. “He leaves today with his family, and his team left on Friday. We’ll see Novak back, and I look forward to catching up with him in the next couple of weeks.”
Following his exit, Djokovic posted images of an MRI scan of his injury on social media, responding to critics who questioned his condition. Tiley insisted that the Serb had done everything possible to prepare for the semi-final and was confident in his fitness before the match.
“He had a good warm-up that morning, and his team were confident that he’d be able to get out there and play,” Tiley said. “I haven’t met a player who prepares as thoroughly as Novak does, and he always does everything possible to be ready for competition.”
Record attendance despite controversies
The 2025 Australian Open saw record attendance, with over 1.1 million fans flocking to Melbourne Park across the two-week event. Italy’s Jannik Sinner claimed the men’s singles title, while Madison Keys triumphed in the women’s competition.
However, the tournament was not without controversy, as crowd behaviour came under scrutiny. Sections of the audience jeered Djokovic during his semi-final withdrawal, and reports of disruptive behaviour prompted organisers to consider potential changes for future editions.
Tiley acknowledged the challenges and suggested that attendance caps could be introduced to maintain the event’s atmosphere and fan experience.
“The objective from the beginning has been to ensure a high-quality experience,” he said. “Our customer satisfaction scores are higher than last year, and we’re reviewing all the data. If ever we feel the crowd size affects the experience negatively, we’ll make adjustments.”
The Australian Open continues to cement its place as a marquee event on the tennis calendar, drawing record crowds and showcasing top-tier competition, despite occasional off-court challenges.
