Djokovic advances to semis as Musetti forced to retire
Ten-time Australian Open winner Novak Djokovic won his quarter-finals match after Italian Lorenzo Musetti withdrew due to injury. Sienna Pietrosante reports.
By Sienna Pietrosante
Serbian superstar Novak Djokovic advanced to the Australian Open semi-finals on January 28 after Italian Lorenzo Musetti was forced to withdraw from their quarter final.
Djokovic won in a walkover, continuing his quest to claim another Grand Slam title at Melbourne Park, where he has enjoyed years of success.
A 10-time champion of the Australian Open, Djokovic, 38, is hungry for more Grand Slam championships.
Musetti claimed the first two sets, 6-4, 6-2, in his quarter-final match. He trailed 1-3 in the third set before succumbing to a leg injury.
Musetti, who began the match as fifth seed, started strongly, using his trademark stroke repertoire, powerful topspin and attacking style to disrupt Djokovic's timing.
Can we all agree that Novak Djokovic is the better player?
— Danny (@DjokovicFan_) January 30, 2026
The only difference is age. That's the only thing that ever separated him and Jannik Sinner. pic.twitter.com/zb93ChCeBV
The Italian exploited Djokovic’s pace brilliantly and pushed the Serbian to engage in lengthy battles, displaying no signs of intimidation on the biggest stage of all.
Djokovic, seeded fourth, struggled to find his best form but remained calm and composed, absorbing the pressure in his customary defensive style.
“He makes you play,” Djokovic said of Musetti’s game. “When you think the point is finished, it’s not.”
Djokovic admitted Musetti’s quality and variety had contributed to his own lack of fluency.
“I just wasn’t feeling the ball today, probably because of his quality and his variety,” Djokovic said.
"The youngsters like myself are still trying to catch up." 😉@DjokerNole still has his sense of humour even after a first #AusOpen Final loss. pic.twitter.com/qlzMEGt6Qb
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) February 1, 2026
However, Musetti began to feel unwell halfway through the contest, and needed medical treatment.
Despite Musetti's best attempts, the Italian was unable to walk freely, forcing him to make the tough choice to retire from the match.
Djokovic was quick to express his sympathy towards his talented opponent.
“It’s never the way you want to win a match,” he said.
“I feel really sorry for him. He was competing really well and he should have been the winner today, no doubt. I really wish him a speedy recovery.”
The result means that Djokovic has the chance to win his 11th Australian Open crown.
all emotion 💪 pic.twitter.com/zBL5KET6sp
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) February 1, 2026
It also demonstrates his consistency in the final stages of major events, even when new faces appear in the men's game.
Djokovic was dissatisfied in how he advanced to the semi-finals, acknowledging he felt fortunate to still be standing.
"I'm just extremely lucky to get through this today," he said.
Djokovic's attention turns to the semi-finals, where the task will undoubtedly increase as the competition proceeds to its final stage.
As the Australian Open nears its conclusion, the Serbian is a formidable player at Rod Laver Arena, where he is well received by the Melbourne crowd.
