Kim Clijsters joins Jelena Dokic in telling response to accusations against Djokovic
Kim Clijsters has echoed the thoughts of Jelena Dokic in dismissing ugly claims about Novak Djokovic 'faking' injuries or playing them up. Djokovic was forced to retire hurt in his semi-final clash with Alexander Zverev at the Australian Open after tearing his hamstring against Carlos Alcaraz in the quarters.
It came after many had suggested Djokovic was only foxing when he clutched at his hamstring against Alcaraz, particularly after he went on to win in four sets. After being forced to call it quits in the semis, Djokovic posted a scan of his torn hamstring for "all the injury experts" who questioned it.
The Serbian star has been questioned a number of times throughout his career in regards to the severity of injuries, after famously winning the Australian Open titles in 2021 and 2023 with a torn hamstring and abdominal respectively. And earlier this week, Rafa Nadal's uncle and former coach Toni poured fuel on the fire with some staggering comments.
Thought I'd leave this here for all the sports injury 'experts' out there. pic.twitter.com/ZO5mBtw9zB
— Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) January 25, 2025
Making mention of the fact Djokovic was booed off court when he retired against Zverev, Toni wrote for Spanish media: "I understand that the public showed their disappointment and anger at being deprived of the spectacle they had been expecting after having paid for it. The most significant reason is that over the years, there has been a growing suspicion around Novak, due to his expressions or histrionics, casting doubt on the authenticity of his injuries."
Toni questioned why Djokovic called it quits so abruptly without even calling the trainer or taking a medical timeout. 'When a player faces physical problems in such a match, they typically delay the decision to withdraw until the last moment. They call the physio, struggle through a few games with limitations and only when realising the inevitable, do they opt for retirement. On several occasions, we have seen Novak with similar performances, using facial expressions and body language that contradict what we see on the court, raising doubts about the authenticity of his issues.'
But speaking on 'Served with Andy Roddick' podcast on Thursday, four-time grand slam champion Clijsters rejected that notion completely. The 2011 Australian Open champ pointed out that even when Djokovic needed knee surgery after the French Open last year, the severity of the injury was still questioned because he managed to make the Wimbledon final in his very next tournament just weeks later.
'The thing with Novak is we have been so used to seeing him get through it all with the recovery things that he does, with his mental strength," Clijsters said. 'It's almost like we think it's normal he will heal from this during the tournament and then people question whether he's telling the truth when it is happening.
'That is where I am like it's already annoying enough when you have a problem, you don't want people to question whether you are being honest. It's annoying. I do feel like with him people are questioning a lot of it. I remember people saying: 'I don't even know if he had his knee surgery.''
RELATED:
Madison Keys kicked out of next tournament after Australian Open
Fiancee detail comes to light after Alex de Minaur relinquishes trophy
Speaking immediately after Djokovic's retirement, Dokic said: "We've seen Djokovic in his career when he's had injuries, he's played through them. He's continued in the tournament and gone on and hasn't retired. Only a really heavy knee injury at the French Open took him out last year when he couldn't play the quarter-final. So if he decided he couldn't play, he really couldn't play."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
San Francisco Chronicle
an hour ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Florian Wirtz joins list of most expensive soccer signings in history
Florian Wirtz became one of the most expensive players in soccer history when the Germany playmaker joined Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen on Friday for a fee of up to 116 million pounds ($156 million). Neymar: $262 million (222 million euros) Paris Saint-Germain shattered the world-record transfer fee by signing the Brazil superstar from Barcelona in August 2017. It was more than double the outlay of Manchester United to sign Paul Pogba from Juventus for $116 million a year earlier. It remains the record transfer fee. ___ Kylian Mbappé: $216 million (180 million euros) A few weeks after buying Neymar, PSG also secured a loan deal for Mbappé — then the rising star of French soccer playing for Monaco — that included the option to make the move permanent in 2018. PSG did so, making it an outlay of nearly $500 million on two players. ___ Flush with cash after selling Neymar a year earlier, Barcelona spent most of it in a deal to buy Brazil playmaker Coutinho from Liverpool for a Spanish record fee. ___ Moises Caicedo: $146 million (115 million pounds) The Ecuador midfielder's move was previously the most expensive deal by a British club, with Chelsea buying him from Brighton in August 2023. ___ João Félix: $140 million (126 million euros) Atletico Madrid triggered a buyout clause in Félix's contract to sign the Portugal forward from Benfica in August 2019. ___ Jude Bellingham: $139 million (128.5 million euros) The England star got his big move to Real Madrid from Borussia Dortmund in June 2023, for an initial up-front fee of 103 million euros plus add-ons linked to performance. ___ Antoine Griezmann: $134 million (120 million euros) Atletico could afford to sign Félix after selling France forward Griezmann to Barcelona for a similar fee a few weeks earlier. ___ Neymar: $98 million (90 million euros) Outside from Europe, the biggest transfer deal also involved Neymar when he joined Al Hilal, a team in the Saudi Pro League, from Paris Saint-Germain in August 2023. That came at the height of Saudi Arabia's push to sign high-end soccer talent to ignite the oil-rich state's domestic league. ___
USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
Dodgers commit $1 million toward families of immigrants 'impacted by recent events'
One day after Department of Homeland Security officers infringed upon their home amid nearly two weeks of heightened tension in Los Angeles, the Dodgers on Friday announced a $1 million "commitment" toward financial assistance for families of immigrants "impacted by recent events in the region." Los Angeles has been roiled by aggressive raids from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), which have honed in on workplaces frequented by immigrants. Marines and the National Guard have been dispatched to Los Angeles in the wake of protests that have seen heavy use of tear gas and projectile weapons by law enforcement. Meanwhile, the Dodgers have been heavily criticized for both action and inaction from their heavily Latino fan base. Manager Dave Roberts stated he didn't have enough information to opine on the situation, and the club came under more scrutiny after R&B singer Nezza sang the national anthem in Spanish at Dodger Stadium, and posted videos and correspondence showing it was against the Dodgers' wishes. Veteran utilityman Kiké Hernández posted a message of support on Instagram, and in the days following the club indicated it would soon show support for the area's immigrant population. Then came Thursday's caravan of DHS vans and vehicles to the Dodger Stadium gate, where they apparently hoped to use the grounds for staging. Protestors arrived and DHS officials were eventually escorted out a separate exit by the Los Angeles Police Department. But many remained and turned their grievances toward the Dodgers for staying largely neutral at a time the community was reeling. The Dodgers' statement nodded non-specifically toward events in the area while not referencing ICE, DHS or other outside forces. "What's happening in Los Angeles has reverberated among thousands upon thousands of people, and we have heard the calls for us to take a leading role on behalf of those affected,' said Dodgers president Stan Kasten, whose club generated an estimated $752 million in revenue last season and is valued at nearly $7 billion. 'We believe that by committing resources and taking action, we will continue to support and uplift the communities of Greater Los Angeles.' Mayor Karen Bass indicated the external infringement on the community has had an impact. 'These last weeks have sent shockwaves of fear rippling through every neighborhood and have had a direct impact on our economy," Bass said.
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
LA Dodgers say they denied federal agents access to Dodger Stadium parking lots
Federal agents drove to Dodger Stadium's parking entrances in an apparent effort to use the vast lots as a staging area, but did not gain entry to the venerable Los Angeles ballpark, the Dodgers said in a statement Thursday. Shortly after 10 a.m. PDT, a caravan of vans and other vehicles appeared at multiple parking lot entry points, according to social media posts. An overhead view of the caravan, captured by Fox 11 Los Angeles, indicated the presence of Department of Homeland Security officers. 'This morning, ICE agents came to Dodger Stadium and requested permission to access the parking lots. They were denied entry to the grounds by the organization,' the Dodgers said in a statement. 'Tonight's game will be played as scheduled.' ICE disputed the Dodgers' claim, telling USA TODAY Sports in a statement that they "were never there." DHS posted that the presence of agents "had nothing to do with the Dodgers" and that "CBP (Customs and Border Patrol) vehicles were in the stadium parking lot very briefly, unrelated to any operation or enforcement." CBP and ICE are both law enforcement agencies operating under the Department of Homeland Security and regularly collaborate, notably in a recent raid on a horse racing track in Louisiana. The agents photographed standing around were completely masked and one had a "Border Patrol Federal Agent" patch on his vest. In the ensuing hours, a small group of protestors arrived at Gate E, chanting at the agents outside the stadium gates. Eventually, Los Angeles Police Department officers arrived. The Dodgers were scheduled to play the San Diego Padres at 7:10 PDT, with a celebrity softball game hosted by All-Star Mookie Betts preceding the game at 5:30. A crowd of more than 50,000 was expected for the game. WORST TEAM EVER? Rockies settling in after historically bad start 'This is another example of the federal administration doing everything in their power to strike fear and hurt hardworking families,' said Diana Crofts-Pelayo, director of communications for California Gov. Gavin Newsom. The unscheduled arrival of federal officers was the latest twist in a saga pitting President Donald Trump's desire to deport large amounts of undocumented persons against cities aiming to salvage due process for residents. Los Angeles is one of the cities specifically targeted by Trump, with nearly two weeks of aggressive raids in the Southland, sparking widespread protests and aggressive reaction from both LAPD and Los Angeles County Sheriffs. Dodgers players remained largely mum on the issue, until veteran utilityman Kiké Hernández released a statement on Instagram pledging support for Latinos profiled, arrested and disappeared under ICE. Manager Dave Roberts professed not having enough information to weigh in on the issue, though the franchise came under more scrutiny for its lack of support after R&B singer Nezza sang the national anthem in Spanish at Dodger Stadium, and posted videos and correspondence showing it was against the Dodgers' wishes. That led to a Dodgers spokesperson telling reporters Wednesday that they would announce 'plans for assistance to immigrant communities impacted by the recent events in Los Angeles.' Barely 12 hours later, the DHS vehicles showed up at the stadium. By the evening, Dodgers CEO Stan Kasten said the planned announcement would be delayed "because of the events earlier today." The Dodgers' fan base is heavily Latino, and in the past week right-wing influencers have entered the fray, with one noting that it would be 'amazing' if ICE agents staged a raid at Dodger Stadium. This story was updated to include new information. The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: LA Dodgers say ICE was denied entry to Dodger Stadium parking lots
