Another withdrawal brings Djokovic closer to the Australian Open final

Serbian star Novak Djokovic moved one step closer to achieving a historic milestone in the Grand Slam tournaments after qualifying for the semi-finals of the Australian Open, following a dramatic scenario marked by the withdrawal of his Italian opponent Lorenzo Musetti, the fifth seed, due to injury during their quarter-final clash.

Musetti had been in complete control of the match and took a two-sets lead (6–4, 6–3), before suffering an injury that forced him to withdraw while Djokovic was leading 3–1 in the third set, allowing the Serbian to book his place in the semi-finals in one of the most dramatic matches of the tournament.

Notably, Djokovic had also advanced through the fourth round due to the withdrawal of Czech player Jakub Menšík ahead of their scheduled match last Sunday, giving him additional days of rest.

The veteran Serbian, a ten-time champion in Melbourne, continues his pursuit of a 25th Grand Slam title, which would see him claim the outright all-time record and break his tie with Australia’s Margaret Court, who also holds 24 titles.

Djokovic expressed sympathy for his opponent, stating that Musetti had been the better player and deserved to win, while noting that the unpredictability of sport can be cruel in moments like these. He added that he did not feel comfortable during the first two sets, attributing that to the Italian’s great variety of play, and admitted that he was fortunate to progress.

The match witnessed several twists, as Djokovic struggled with blisters on his foot before regaining his balance in the third set. Musetti, meanwhile, suffered a problem in his right thigh and attempted to continue but was ultimately forced to withdraw, much to the shock of the crowd at Rod Laver Arena. With this victory, Djokovic recorded his 103rd win at the Australian Open, surpassing the tally of retired Swiss legend Roger Federer.

In the semi-finals, the Serbian will face the winner of the match between defending champion Jannik Sinner and American Ben Shelton. Djokovic expressed his hope of delivering a stronger performance in the next round, stressing that whoever emerges from that clash will be a tough opponent, especially if it is the world No. 2 Italian, widely considered one of the leading contenders for the title.

In another match, Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz wrote a new chapter in his career by reaching the Australian Open semi-finals for the first time, following a convincing victory over Australia’s Alex de Minaur with a scoreline of 7–5, 6–2, 6–1.

Alcaraz delivered a balanced performance combining power and patience, ending De Minaur’s hopes of achieving a historic feat in front of his home crowd.

The Spaniard confirmed that he feels his level is improving from match to match, stressing the importance of maintaining focus against opponents who play at a high tempo, such as De Minaur.

Alcaraz will now face Germany’s Alexander Zverev in the semi-finals, aiming to avenge a previous defeat and asserting that the encounter will be a high-level tactical battle.

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