Melbourne [Australia], January 28 : Serbian legend and 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic moved into the semi-finals of the Australian Open as his opponent, Lorenzo Musetti, was forced to retire while leading 6-4, 6-3, 1-3 in the pair's quarter-final clash on Wednesday.
Musetti's hopes of ending his Grand Slam drought against Djokovic were dashed in cruel fashion in Melbourne. Stepping onto Rod Laver Arena, having lost all three previous meetings with Djokovic at the majors, according to the ATP Tour website.
Musetti's quarterfinal magic was cut short by an upper-right leg injury, which struck in the third game's third set, after he'd built a two-set lead. The Italian battled on for a bit, even after a physio visit at 1-2, but couldn't keep going after two hours and eight minutes of intense play.
"I don't know what to say except I feel really sorry for him, and he was a far better player. I was on my way home tonight. These kinds of things happen in sport. It happened to me a few times, but being in the quarters of a Grand Slam, two sets to love up, and being in full control, it's so unfortunate. I don't know what else I can sa,y and I really wish him a speedy recovery. He should have been a winner today, no doubt," Djokovic said after the match.
"The strategy worked very well for the first couple of games, and then it changed completely. Four winners in the first two games, and no unforced errors. Then in the rest of the match, I had another four winners and probably 40 errors. But that's what Lorenzo does to you," said Djokovic, who now holds a 10-1 Head2Head lead over Musetti.
"He makes you play. When you think the point is finished, it's not. Obviously, a bit more wind today, swirly conditions, and when you attack him you don't know what to expect... What can I say. I tried my best. Yes, I have a blister here and there, but nothing really majorly bothered me. I just wasn't feeling the ball today in the first couple of sets, but that's also due to his quality and his variety of game. I'm just extremely lucky to get through this one today," he concluded.
By stepping on court Wednesday, Djokovic became just the third man (after Jimmy Connors and Roger Federer) to compete in 1,400 tour-level matches. Djokovic also surpassed Federer to claim sole ownership of the record for the most Australian Open singles match wins (103).