In a dramatic twist at the Australian Open, Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti was forced to retire from his quarterfinal match against Novak Djokovic due to a groin/upper right leg injury, despite leading by two sets to love.
The fifth-seeded Musetti dominated the early stages on Rod Laver Arena, taking the first set 6-4 and the second 6-3 with precise one-handed backhand winners and aggressive baseline play. Djokovic, the 10-time champion chasing a record 25th Grand Slam title, appeared hampered by blisters and struggled to find rhythm, committing uncharacteristic errors. Djokovic’s tactics were failing against a player who had his number on the day.
Lorenzo Musetti’s Third Set Groin Injury
Early in the third set, Musetti pulled up lame while chasing a ball, clutching the top of his right leg. After receiving a medical timeout and trainer attention—including massage to the affected groin/abductor area—he attempted to continue but could barely move. Following two more games where his mobility visibly deteriorated, Musetti double-faulted, walked to the net, and shook hands with Djokovic, officially retiring at 6-4 6-3 1-3 (Djokovic leading in the third).
Djokovic advances to the semifinals, where he will face the winner of the Ben Shelton vs. Jannik Sinner match. The Serb acknowledged the fortunate escape, with some observers noting he himself seemed on the verge of defeat before the injury intervention.
Musetti, 23, was playing in his first Australian Open quarterfinal and had shown career-best form on hard courts this fortnight. The retirement is a heartbreaking blow for the Italian, who had pushed Djokovic to the brink in what many called a potential upset. The injury wasn’t just physically painful, but also emotionally heartbreaking for Musetti who is playing the best tennis of his career and now has an uncertain injury.
Novak Djokovic Into the Australian Open Semifinals
Djokovic, despite physical issues of his own related a foot blister, survives to keep his Melbourne hopes alive. “It’s tough to see a player go out like that,” he said post-match. “Musetti was “in full control”
This marks another chapter in Djokovic’s resilient Grand Slam pursuit, aided by a fourth-round walkover earlier in the tournament. Djokovic has “won” his last two matches, due to his opponents being unfit to continue the match.
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports
