John McEnroe speculated about a possible conspiracy surrounding Novak Djokovic’s injury during his match against Carlos Alcaraz after the 37-year-old took an off-court medical timeout.

Djokovic, ranked world No. 7, appeared to struggle with his leg during the first set, grimacing in pain and eventually leaving the court with the physio. Upon his return, his upper thigh was strapped.

However, McEnroe expressed doubts about the legitimacy of the injury, advising Alcaraz not to be “fooled” by the 10-time Australian Open champion.

Commentating alongside his brother Patrick for Australia’s Channel Nine, McEnroe suggested that Djokovic’s apparent physical struggles might not have been entirely genuine.

“This isn’t the first time we’ve seen this routine,” the seven-time Major winner said. In a warning to Alcaraz and the audience, he added: “Don’t be fooled.”

Djokovic called for an off-court medical timeout while trailing 5-4 in the first set with a break. Upon his return, Alcaraz quickly closed out the set.

The Serbian star then elevated his performance, surging to an early 3-0 lead in the second set. Although Alcaraz managed to level the score, Djokovic regained momentum, breaking again to secure the set 6-4 and even the match.

When Djokovic won set two, Patrick McEnroe asked: “Did you see this coming?” But John still firmly believed the No. 7 seed had been fine all along.

“Yes,” he replied. Whether or not his theory was correct, Djokovic continued to raise his level as the match went on while Alcaraz was left feeling helpless.

The third set saw a flurry of breaks as Djokovic briefly took the lead, only for the 21-year-old Alcaraz to break back.

However, the 24-time Grand Slam champion remained unyielding, breaking again to secure a two-sets-to-one advantage on a dramatic set point that left even Alcaraz laughing in disbelief. Djokovic ultimately sealed the match with a 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 victory, earning his place in a record 50th Grand Slam semi-final.

Fired up, Djokovic engaged with the crowd by gesturing to his ear and blowing kisses. He carried his momentum into the fourth set, breaking Alcaraz immediately while the young Spaniard looked toward his team in confusion.

Despite appearing to nurse a lingering issue—taking painkillers during the first changeover of the set—Djokovic maintained his composure to finish the job.

Jannik Sinner clashed with 13th seed Holger Rune in a much-anticipated Australian Open fourth-round match on Monday. The Italian emerged victorious in four sets: 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2. The match was marked by several interruptions, including medical timeouts and an unusual net malfunction, sparking discussions about their potential influence on the game’s flow.

Reflecting on the interruptions, Sinner noted that although the break lasted longer than he anticipated, it adhered to the rules and was fair given the circumstances.

“It’s perfectly fine that you check, it was a very warm day today even though it was not sun all the time, it was very humid and so I was also feeling it. So, definitely, it’s fair that he got checked, I think it took longer than I expected. It was around 10 minutes maybe even more so that was a bit brutal in the middle of the set,” Rune said.

Although the break seemed to benefit the Italian, Rune refused to use it as an excuse for his loss. He acknowledged that while he had built strong momentum at the time, he accepted the situation and moved on.

Additionally, the Danish player himself took a three-minute medical timeout in the third set for treatment on his right knee when Sinner was leading 5-3.

“But yeah again you know it is what it is and I could move on but yeah I had good momentum at this moment. But yeah it was not the worst timing from his side,” Rune remarked.

During the match, Sinner paused for an 11-minute medical timeout in the third set while leading 3-2, addressing dizziness and physical discomfort. Before the break, the Italian was visibly limping between points.

The game also experienced a 21-minute delay due to a broken net, which provided Sinner with additional time to recover.

Jannik Sinner reaches his 15th consecutive ATP tour QF

With this win, Jannik Sinner secures his 15th consecutive ATP Tour quarterfinal berth and his sixth appearance in a Grand Slam quarterfinal. He is set to face the winner of the match between Alex de Minaur and Alex Michelsen in the next round.

The defending champion has delivered stellar performances in Melbourne so far and remains focused on adding to his Grand Slam tally, solidifying his position among the elite players in men’s tennis.

Through his consistent displays, the World No. 1 continues to showcase his composure in high-pressure situations. All eyes will be on him as he aims for another deep run in the tournament. His quarterfinal match is scheduled for Wednesday, January 22.

Andy Roddick believes Andy Murray faces a tough predicament regardless of Novak Djokovic’s performance at the Australian Open.

The former Wimbledon champion from Britain has transitioned from playing to taking on the role of Djokovic’s head coach, with the goal of guiding the Serbian star to his 11th Australian Open title. So far, their partnership appears to be going well, with Djokovic advancing to the third round to face Tomas Machac on Friday.

However, Roddick, a former US tennis standout, thinks Murray is in a no-win situation. He argues that Murray will either be blamed for a disappointing result or receive excessive credit if Djokovic achieves success in Australia.

Speaking to Betway, 42-year-old Roddick said: “Here’s what I think is going to happen: If Novak does really well, we’re going to give Andy Murray – who I think has one of the highest tennis IQs ever – too much credit. And if something weird happens, we’re going to give Murray too much blame.”

Roddick pointed out that very few individuals could earn Djokovic’s trust to discuss strategy in a sport where he is an icon. He emphasized that the partnership with Murray has the potential to lead to even greater success.

He added: “Novak’s not going to change too much from what has got him to 24 Slams and 10 titles in Australia. It’s as simple as this – there are very few people that Novak can sit across from at dinner and talk about tennis and strategy, who understand the moment and what he’s trying to do, and whose brain he respects enough to actually consider their opinions.

“I think Andy Murray is one of those few, so it makes sense in so many ways.”

Murray retired in 2024 with an impressive record that includes two Wimbledon titles, one US Open, and two Olympic gold medals, solidifying his status as one of Britain’s most accomplished tennis players.

Now, his former rival and current protégé, Novak Djokovic—a 24-time Grand Slam champion—is aiming to add even more trophies to his collection with Murray’s guidance before eventually calling time on his own career.

Roddick believes that Murray and Djokovic’s partnership will work out in the long run due to their previous bond from playing against one another. He also noted that it will be a “massive benefit” for the 37-year-old Djokovic as he continues his stellar tennis career.

Roddick added: “The common ground with both is that there was never any stone left unturned. They’re both still extremely curious, despite all their successes. It does help that they’ve known each other for so long.

“I worked with Jimmy Connors and we didn’t know each other before we got together, and while it was a super beneficial relationship, there was this ice-breaking part of it. They can just skip right over that, which is a massive benefit for Novak at this point in his career.”