Novak Djokovic Played Through Hamstring Tear Injury to Win 2023 Australian Open

Novak Djokovic won the 2023 Australian Open while playing through a tear in his left hamstring, according to Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley.

"He gets a bad rap, but at the end of the day, I don't think anyone can question his athleticism. This guy, I did see, he had a 3-centimeter tear in his hammy," Tiley said Wednesday on SEN Sportsday.

"The doctors are ... going to tell you the truth. I think there was a lot of speculation of whether it was true or not. It's hard to believe that someone can do what they do with those types of injuries. But he's remarkable."

Djokovic was originally injured in the Adelaide International tournament that serves as a precursor to the Australian Open. He battled through the injury and was noticeably using a bandage on his thigh to help stabilize the hamstring during his Melbourne triumph.

"We take it day by day. We do a lot of things actually. It's been honestly exhausting to be involved in a lot of different treatments and machines and stuff that we do," Djokovic told reporters during the tournament. "At the same time it was necessary. It is necessary in order to get myself in a condition to play. So I'm really glad that my body has responded really well."

Some fans erroneously accused Djokovic of faking the injury early in the event, and it's clear that concern was unfounded.

Djokovic's Australian Open victory was his 10th in the year-opening major and his 22nd Grand Slam overall. He is tied with Rafael Nadal for the most Slams in men's tennis history.

There has been no word on whether Djokovic will have to miss extended time to recover.