Novak Djokovic’s pursuit of an unprecedented 25th Grand Slam title remained alive at the 2026 Australian Open- but not in a manner anyone inside Rod Laver Arena could have anticipated.
Novak Djokovic In AO Semis
On Wednesday night, the 38-year-old Serbian great advanced to a record 13th Australian Open semi-final after Lorenzo Musetti was forced to retire injured while holding a commanding two-set lead in their quarter-final clash. Musetti, inspired and in complete control, led 6-4, 6-3 and looked poised to deliver one of the biggest upsets of the tournament before a thigh and groin injury cruelly halted his momentum early in the third set.
The Italian received a medical timeout after his movement visibly deteriorated at 1-1 in the third set. Though he attempted to continue, it quickly became clear he could not compete at full capacity. Trailing 1-3, Musetti walked to the net and shook Djokovic’s hand, ending what had been a masterclass performance and leaving the Melbourne crowd stunned.
“I feel really sorry for him- he was the far better player,” Djokovic said afterwards. “I was on my way home tonight. He was in full control. It’s so unfortunate. He should have been the winner today, no doubt. I’m extremely lucky to get through this one.”
Luck has indeed been a defining theme of Djokovic’s tournament. The Serb has now benefited from two consecutive retirements, having received a full fourth-round walkover after Jakub Mensík withdrew injured. As a result, Djokovic has spent remarkably little time on court during the second week- a potentially crucial advantage given his own physical concerns.
Read More
Yet for much of the quarter-final, it looked as though fortune had finally abandoned him.
Djokovic was erratic, frustrated, and unusually error-prone, committing 18 unforced errors in the opening set alone and 32 in total before the match ended. His attempts to shorten points- including frequent serve-and-volley plays- backfired as Musetti’s sublime court coverage and passing shots repeatedly exposed the veteran.
After Djokovic broke early to lead 2-0, Musetti quickly settled, breaking back and winning four consecutive games as Djokovic’s forehand and backhand misfired. Though the Serb briefly resisted in an eight-minute hold to avoid falling behind 5-2, Musetti closed out the first set in 54 minutes and carried his momentum seamlessly into the second.
Read More
Musetti broke early again in the second set, weathered a brief Djokovic resurgence, and broke serve twice more with fearless baseline play- capped by a stunning forehand down the line- to surge into a two-set lead. At that stage, Djokovic looked increasingly irritable, frequently turning to his box in disbelief.
The turning point came suddenly and cruelly.
After being broken early in the third set, Musetti’s movement visibly declined. He stopped chasing balls, grimaced between points, and eventually called for the trainer. Despite a valiant attempt to continue, the 23-year-old had no choice but to retire, leaving the court heartbroken and supported by a member of his team.
The injury robbed Musetti of what would have been one of the defining victories of his career- his first Australian Open semi-final and a landmark hard-court Grand Slam breakthrough.
For Djokovic, however, history still beckons.
Also Read: Top 4 Tennis Players With the Most ATP 500 Titles
Read More
With the win, he claimed his 103rd Australian Open singles victory, surpassing Roger Federer’s long-standing Open Era record of 102 wins in Melbourne. It also marked his 54th Grand Slam semi-final appearance, further extending his own all-time record.
Earlier in the tournament, Djokovic became the first player in history to reach 400 Grand Slam match wins, another milestone in his glorious career.
Novak Djokovic himself required treatment for blisters during the match and admitted that had play continued, he may have been physically tested. He has not won a set since his third-round victory over Botic van de Zandschulp, and his performance against Musetti raised serious questions about his level heading into the final rounds.
Next, Djokovic will face either two-time defending champion Jannik Sinner or American eighth seed Ben Shelton in the semi-finals- opponents unlikely to be as forgiving.
Fortune may have carried him this far, but if Djokovic is to lift an 11th Australian Open trophy and stand alone with 25 major titles, he knows luck alone will not be enough.
