In a dramatic turn of events at the Australian Open, Novak Djokovic secured an unexpected passage to the semifinals following opponent Lorenzo Musetti’s mid-match retirement due to injury. The Serbian tennis legend found himself trailing significantly, having dropped the initial two sets 6-4, 6-3, before the Italian fifth seed was compelled to withdraw during the third set.
The match witnessed a stark contrast in performance, with Djokovic uncharacteristically accumulating 32 unforced errors throughout the contest. Musetti demonstrated superior court coverage and shot selection, consistently pressuring the defending champion with precise groundstrokes and tactical brilliance. The Italian established dominance early, breaking Djokovic’s serve multiple times while maintaining his own service games with composure.
However, the momentum shifted abruptly when Musetti required medical attention for an upper right leg injury while trailing 1-2 in the third set. Despite attempting to continue, his mobility became severely compromised, ultimately forcing his retirement at 1-3 down in the set.
Djokovic, who described himself as ‘extremely lucky’ during post-match comments, acknowledged Musetti’s superior performance: ‘I feel really sorry for him—he was the far better player today. I was on my way home tonight. He should have been the winner, no doubt.’
The victory carries historical significance, marking Djokovic’s 103rd singles win at Melbourne Park, surpassing Roger Federer’s previous record. It also represents his 54th Grand Slam semifinal appearance, extending his own existing record. The Serbian now awaits the winner between defending champion Jannik Sinner and American eighth seed Ben Shelton as he continues his pursuit of a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title.