"97% of players would pull out" - Ivanisevic on Djokovic's injury
ATP
At the start of the 2023 Australian Open, Novak Djokovic struggled with an injury, and according to his coach, Goran Ivanisevic, many players would have elected to withdraw from the event.
During his first matches at the first major of the season, Djokovic appeared on the court with his left hamstring strapped. His injury improved as the event progressed and he admitted that it got very good by the time the tournament ended.
Still, it impacted him early on, and while Djokovic elected to compete and chase his 10th title in Melbourne, it's not something many players would do. At the same time, not many players would have a chance to win despite carrying an injury.
The injury was also doubted by many, but after the tournament, the Serbian disclosed that he would show proof of his injury. Speaking about it on Sunday, his coach, Goran Ivanisevic, stated that, according to him, 97% of the players would withdraw from the tournament if they got the same MRI test result that his player got.
"I will not say 100%, but 97% of the players on Saturday when you get the results of the MRI you go straight to the referee's office and pull out. But not him. He's from a different species."
Ivanisevic, who is a Grand Slam champion himself, was impressed by Djokovic's 22nd Grand Slam title win. He praised the Serbian for "getting crazier," as winning a major while carrying an injury is really something exceptional. His rival, Rafael Nadal, did something similar at last year's Roland Garros.
"He's getting crazier and crazier, I can say it laughs. It's a no end of the field of crazyness, in a positive way I mean. The guy is unbelievable, I don't know how to describe him. I thought I had seen everything, but then I see this... unbelievable."
