Novak Djokovic injury update: World No. 1 under pressure ahead of crunch quarter-final

The Novak Djokovic injury became the highlight on Day 7 of the Australian Open 2021 after the world No. 1 put down a tough challenge from Canada's Milos Raonic to advance to the quarter-finals at the Slam. An injury sustained during his Round 3 game against American Taylor Fritz — initially thought to be a muscle tear — saw the Serbian take multiple medical time-outs as he won 7-6(1), 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 6-2. The move has become widely controversial somehow, after Djokovic's display against Raonic, with people claiming that he 'faked' his injuries in order to gain a mental advantage over his opponents or to rest during the game.

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Novak Djokovic injury update and controversy

All this because he has managed to play his games relatively well despite claiming that he may have to pull out of the Slam altogether. Speaking on these allegations, Djokovic revealed that he had gotten several MRIs after his win over Fritz, which revealed that his injury was not, as he had earlier believed, an abdominal tear. The top seed remained elusive when asked about the nature of his injuries, saying, “I understand that you want to know, but I really don’t want to get into it”.

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While admitting that he did know what exactly the issue was, Djokovic also said that he did not wish to reveal too much, so as to not give his opponents a leg up on him, “I’m still in the tournament. I hope you guys understand that. I don’t want to speculate too much about it. It’s not ideal for me". Revealing somewhat the extent of his pain, Djokovic confessed that he “definitely wouldn’t be playing if this wasn’t a Slam" but gauging the importance of the event, had, on the advice of his medical team, continued to play under heavy pain medication.

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Australian Open live streaming: How to watch Novak Djokovic vs Zverev live in India

All the Australian Open 2021 matches will be telecast live in India on the Sony Six SD and HD channels. Sony will also be offering Australian Open live streaming, meaning that fans can watch the Djokovic vs Zverev live stream on the SonyLIV app and website. The live scores of the games can be followed on the Australian Open website and Twitter page. The quarter-final match is set to begin at 2:45 PM IST on February 16. 

The eight-time Australian Open champion and 17-time Grand Slam champion will be playing No. 6 seed Alexander Zverev in the quarterfinals. Having just defeated Zverev in straight sets at the ATP Cup two weeks ago, Djokovic should be high on confidence despite his injury woes. Going into the game, Djokovic is eyeing a chance to make his second Australian Open title hattrick — he won in 2019 and 2020 and had three consecutive victories in 2011, 2012 and 2013 as well.

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Image credits: Australian Open Twitter