Novak Djokovic advances to Australian Open semifinals after Lorenzo Musetti retires due to injury

Novak Djokovic has advanced to the semifinals of the Australian Open for the 13th time in his career after his opponent, Lorenzo Musetti, retired in the third set of their quarterfinal match on Wednesday due to injury.

The Italian had won the first two sets, 6-4, 6-3, but began struggling with what appeared to be a leg injury early in the third set. While serving at 1-3, 15-40, he was forced to stop and approached the net for the handshake.

“I don’t know what to say except that I feel really sorry for him. He was the far better player. I was on my way home tonight," Djokovic, a 10-time champion at the Australian Open, said in his on-court interview.

“I don't know what to say, these kind of things happen in sport, and it happened to me a few times, but being in the quarters of a Grand Slam and two sets to love up, and being in full control, I mean it’s so unfortunate. I don’t know what else I can say. I really wish him a speedy recovery.

“He should have been a winner today, no doubt.”

Musetti had lost the pair’s last six meetings in a row, and early on it looked like more of that was on its way as Djokovic broke him in his opening service game for a 2-0 lead, but the Italian stormed back with four games in a row of his own—not only getting the break back, but going up a break of serve—and eventually clinching the first set after 54 minutes.

Then, after trading breaks in the first two games of the second set, Musetti broke for 2-1, and after five straight holds, broke again for a two-set lead.

Musetti was thoroughly in control, hitting a combined total of 25 winners to 17 unforced errors across the first two sets, while Djokovic had 19 to 31.

But Djokovic got off to a quick start in the third set, going up 3-1, and while serving at 15-40 in the next game, Musetti's injury was just too much.

Djokovic had been struggling with blisters during the match, but gave full credit to Musetti for outplaying him during the first two sets.

“I had like 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,” he joked. “That’s what Lorenzo does to you. He makes you play, and when you think the point is finished, it’s not. Obviously a little bit more wind today, swirly conditions, and when you attack him, you don’t know what to expect, whether it’s going to be a crosscourt passing shot, or short slice, or he’s going to go full flat in your body or just a looping ball to my weakest shot, which is my overhead, which I think we’ve seen today again.

“What can I say. I tried my best, really. I can’t complain. Yes, blister here and there, but nothing majorly bothered me. I just wasn’t feeling the ball today in the first couple of sets, which is also due to his quality and his variety in the game. I’m just extremely lucky to get through this one today.”

It's not the way he would have wanted it to happen, but Djokovic's retirement victory over Musetti did give him yet another record—the most career match wins in Australian Open history, for a man or a woman.

It was his 103rd match win at the event, surpassing the previous record of 102, which belonged to Roger Federer. Serena Williams is next with 92.

Djokovic is now through to the semifinals in Melbourne for the 13th time in his career, where he'll play either Jannik Sinner or Ben Shelton.