Trailing by two hard-fought sets, Novak Djokovic still secured his place in the Australian Open semifinals when Lorenzo Musetti was forced to retire due to an unfortunate injury.
Video of Lorenzo Musetti leaving the match due to injury:
The Australian Open quarterfinal match between Novak Djokovic and Lorenzo Musetti unfolded with an unpredictable scenario and ended in a way few expected. The young Italian player started confidently, constantly putting pressure on Djokovic with his powerful backhand shots.
Musetti played brilliantly to win the first set 6-4, before continuing to dominate Djokovic in the second set with a 6-3 victory, putting the veteran Serbian seed at a significant disadvantage.
However, the turning point came in the third set. Musetti began to show signs of physical problems, moving slowly and frequently clutching his thighs after each long rally. Djokovic capitalized on his experience and composure to take a 3-1 lead, completely controlling the match.
At that moment, the 23-year-old Italian player was forced to stop the match due to an injury that prevented him from continuing. Novak Djokovic advanced to the semi-finals, much to the disappointment of the audience, but also demonstrated remarkable resilience at the age of 38.
This victory keeps Nole's hopes alive of conquering another Grand Slam title in Melbourne.