In a stunning and somber turn of events at the Australian Open, Novak Djokovic advanced to his 13th semifinal at Melbourne Park after his quarterfinal opponent, Lorenzo Musetti, was forced to retire while leading by two sets.
The Italian fifth seed, who had produced a masterclass of tennis to dominate the 10-time champion, succumbed to a right leg injury early in the third set, transforming what seemed a certain victory into a heartbreaking exit.
The match concluded with Musetti retiring at 6-4, 6-3, 1-3, sending a subdued Djokovic through to face either defending champion Jannik Sinner or Ben Shelton in the next round. For nearly two hours, it was Musetti who dictated play.
Displaying breathtaking variety and speed, he consistently outmaneuvered Djokovic from the baseline and expertly picked off the Serb’s frequent forays to the net.
Djokovic, who required treatment for a blister on his right foot after the second set, was frank in his assessment. “I don’t know what to say except that I feel really sorry for him,” he said in an on-court interview. “He was a far better player, I was on my way home tonight… He should have been the winner today, there’s no doubt”.
The cruel shift in fortune occurred shortly after Djokovic secured a break in the third set. Musetti suddenly faltered on his serve, visibly wincing and struggling to move.
After a medical timeout for his upper right leg, he attempted to continue but could barely push off on his serve or run laterally, leading to his emotional decision to stop. In a post-match press conference, a devastated Musetti revealed the injury had been building since the second set.
“I felt there was something strange in my right leg,” he explained. “I continued to play because I was playing really, really, really well, but I was feeling that the pain was increasing”. He believed he sustained a muscle tear, noting the location made it impossible to tape effectively.
For Musetti, who was on the cusp of his first hard-court Grand Slam semifinal, the disappointment was profound. “Honestly, I never imagined the feeling of leading two sets to zero against Novak and playing like that… and being forced to retire is something that I could never imagine,” he said.
“Of course, it’s really painful”. This marks his second such retirement from a major semifinal stage, having also withdrawn from the 2025 French Open semifinals against Carlos Alcaraz.
Djokovic’s path to the final four has been unexpectedly eased by opponents’ injuries, having also received a walkover in the fourth round from Jakub Mensik.
Acknowledging his fortune, the 38-year-old stated, “I’m just extremely lucky… I’m going to double my prayers tonight and [express] gratitude to God for giving me this opportunity once again”. He later posted a public message to Musetti, writing, “Huge respect and speedy recovery… Heal well my friend”.
As the tournament continues, Djokovic remains in pursuit of a historic 25th Grand Slam title, though his progression will be forever shadowed by the memory of a match where victory was decisively taken from his opponent’s hands by fate.