Unexpected Twist Sends Djokovic into Semis After Musetti Injury
Novak Djokovic stays alive in his Australian Open title hunt after Lorenzo Musetti retires injured while leading by two sets in a dramatic quarter-final.
Novak Djokovic's dream of making tennis history is still alive after he advanced to the Australian Open semi-finals. His opponent, Lorenzo Musetti, was leading by two sets to love, but was forced to retire due to injury.
Djokovic, who is aiming to set a new record by winning his 25th Grand Slam singles title, looked erratic, error-prone, and frustrated against the inspired Italian in front of a stunned crowd.
Musetti was leading 6-4 6-3 and appeared on the verge of reaching the semi-finals when he suffered an injury at the start of the third set.
The fifth seed took a medical timeout to receive treatment on his thigh, but unable to serve or move properly, he walked to the net and shook hands while trailing 3-1 in the third set.
A dejected Musetti was helped off the court by a member of his team.
"He was the better player by far – I was going home tonight," said the 38-year-old Serbian great.
"I don't know what to say, except that I feel really sorry for him.
"I really hope he recovers quickly. He deserved to win tonight, no doubt about it."
Djokovic received treatment for blisters on his feet at the end of the second set, and a continued match would have been a significant physical test for him.
This is another stroke of luck for Djokovic, as his fourth-round opponent, Jakub Mensik, withdrew before the match due to injury.
Djokovic hasn't won a set since his third-round victory over Botic van de Zandschulp on January 24.
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For Djokovic to surpass Margaret Court's record of 24 major singles titles, he will need to minimize his time on court, keep points short, and hope that luck continues to be on his side. He has done it before – but he wouldn't have expected to reach the semi-finals relying so heavily on luck.
Djokovic started quickly against Musetti, securing an early break, but then spectacularly lost his way.
A terrible miss on an overhead handed the break back to Musetti, and Djokovic never recovered, hitting only one ace en route to losing the first set and making 18 unforced errors compared to nine winners.
Djokovic frequently looked towards his box in disbelief and frustration – but at the start of the second set, he only had himself to blame.
After breaking Musetti and taking a 30-0 lead on his serve, Djokovic made five unforced errors in six points and handed the initiative back.
With a one-handed backhand that kept Djokovic guessing, and a superior serve, Musetti held his opponent at bay and moved closer to his first Australian Open semi-final.
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Musetti's level made the injury all the more surprising. After being broken in the third set, he immediately called for the trainer and, after a brave attempt in his next service game, retired.
"Honestly, I don't have the words to describe how I'm feeling right now," Musetti said.
"I felt it at the beginning of the second set." “I felt the pain was getting worse, and the problem wasn’t going away.”
Djokovic had kind words for his opponent at the net and afterward – and, having dealt with physical issues himself early in his career, he understood how frustrated the 23-year-old must have been.
Despite the fortunate outcome, Djokovic knows he will need to improve if he is to win an 11th Australian Open title, as two-time defending champion Jannik Sinner could be waiting for him in the semifinals.
World No. 2 Sinner, who defeated Djokovic in the semifinals two years ago, will face American eighth seed Ben Shelton later on Wednesday.
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