TENNIS: Djokovic through to Australian Open semi-finals after Musetti injury

MELBOURNE – Novak Djokovic survived a dramatic quarter-final at the Australian Open after fifth seed Lorenzo Musetti retired with an injury while leading by two sets at Melbourne Park on Wednesday.

Musetti’s retirement, with the score at 6-4, 6-3, 1-3, allowed Djokovic to advance and keep his bid for a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title alive, which would surpass Margaret Court’s record.

“I don’t know what to say, except that I feel really sorry for him. He was the better player today,” Djokovic said.

“I was on my way home tonight. These things happen in sport, and it’s happened to me a few times. Being in the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam, two sets to love up and in full control… it’s so unfortunate. I wish him a speedy recovery. He should have been the winner today, there’s no doubt.”

Djokovic returned to action after a long break, following a walkover against fourth-round opponent Jakub Mensik on Sunday. His freshness was evident early, as he displayed variety and grabbed an early break.

Musetti Fights Back

Some loose points allowed Musetti to level at 2-2, and the Italian soon surged ahead with an overhead shot, comfortably taking the first set on serve.

“My strategy worked well in the first couple of games, then it completely changed,” Djokovic said.

“I had four winners in the first two games and no unforced errors, and then the rest of the match I had another four winners and probably 40 errors. That’s what Lorenzo does—he makes you play when you think the point is finished.”

Djokovic added that Musetti’s variety made the match unpredictable. “When you attack him, you don’t know what to expect—whether it’s a passing shot, a crosscourt, a short slice, or a full flat shot in your body. I wasn’t feeling the ball the first couple of sets, but that’s also because of his quality and variety. I’m extremely lucky to get through this one.”

Injury Forces Musetti Out

Musetti broke in the opening game of the second set, and despite briefly losing the lead, he doubled his advantage and left Djokovic under pressure. Djokovic, dealing with a foot blister, took a 2-1 lead in the third set when Musetti called for medical treatment, reportedly for a right thigh issue.

Musetti tried to continue but was clearly not at full strength and retired a game later, drawing gasps from the Rod Laver Arena crowd. The win marked Djokovic’s 103rd match victory at the tournament, surpassing Roger Federer’s record.

Djokovic will now face the winner of the quarter-final between defending champion Jannik Sinner and Ben Shelton.

“I’m going to double my prayers tonight and show gratitude to God for this opportunity,” Djokovic said.

“Today I wasn’t happy with my performance, but it’s another day in the office. Hopefully, in a couple of days, I can be at my best, because that’s what’s needed.”

-Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Melbourne; Additional reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Himani Sarkar and Shri Navaratnam/Reuters