It was meant to be Lorenzo Musetti’s breakthrough. In his first Australian Open quarterfinal, the Italian started strong against 10-time champion Novak Djokovic but was undone by sudden health troubles. Forced to retire in the third set, he yielded the match in a cruel twist of fate. Still, his grit and determination did not go unnoticed by fans.

Musetti seemed to have one foot in the semi-finals, cruising 6-4 6-3 ahead on Wednesday, when things suddenly went wrong. Early in the third set, the fifth seed pulled up and took a medical timeout for his thigh, but once play resumed, he could barely move or serve. Down 3-1, he walked to the net, shook hands, and ended his campaign.

“I don’t know what to say except for I feel sorry for him,” Djokovic said in his post-match interview. “He was the far better player, I was on my way home tonight. Don’t know what to say, these kind of things happen in sport. It happened to me a few times.”

“You know, being in quarters of a grand slam up 2 sets to love up and being in full control. I mean, so unfortunate. I don’t know what else to say. I wish him a speedy recovery and he should’ve been the winner today no doubt.”

Even fans were distraught at the turn of events. Seeing Lorenzo Musetti so close to another milestone, the disappointment was loud. As one fan wrote, “Lorenzo deserved to win that really sucks he was playing so amazing tennis what a joke I men’s sinner or even Ben would kill Novak especially jannik with Novak playing like this.”

The Italian clawed his way into the Australian Open quarterfinals after a gutsy run that showed just how much he’s grown. The Italian fought past tough opponents, losing only three sets along the way—a four-set opener, a nerve-wracking five-set battle in the third round, and finally a clean, straight-sets win over Taylor Fritz to punch his ticket to the quarters.

This marked Musetti’s best showing yet in Melbourne. He had fallen in the first round twice, then advanced to the second round in 2023 and the third in 2024. So seeing him suddenly call it quits certainly did not sit well with fans.

Fans show their soft side for Lorenzo Musetti

One fan wrote, expressing what everyone was thinking, “Its always unfortunate when a win comes as a result of a walkover. A champion such as Novak wouldn’t enjoy advancing to the next round through this means as it would feel undeserved.”

The Serbian legend, on one hand, got an easy pass into the quarterfinals. His round four opponent, Jakub Mensik, pulled out a day before their match due to injury. It gave Nole extra time to prepare for his battle with Musetti. Yet, he wasn’t entirely at ease.

During the match, Novak had his feet treated for blisters after the second set and might’ve faced an even bigger physical test if play had continued. He hadn’t won a set since his third-round victory over Botic van de Zandschulp on January 24, giving the Italian a good chance to build on his momentum. Still, even Nole didn’t expect to win this way.

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As another fan wrote, “Djokovic knows the pain of a tough exit — full of empathy for Musetti 😔.”

It’s not the first time Novak has moved through the Australian Open while winning few sets. In 2016, at the US Open, he won only eight sets after one walkover and two retirements. He still reached the final but lost to Stan Wawrinka in a tough four-set battle. This time, Musetti was almost at the finish line. It was harsh, but necessary.

One fan wrote, “It was an unfortunate call for Musetti, but injuries happen, and you have to stop or retire, Dont lose your health for the sport.”

Health has indeed been a worry for Musetti. His last two seasons have been riddled with cruelly timed injuries just as he looked ready to soar. In 2024, a left leg issue cut short his brilliant Roland Garros semifinal run against Carlos Alcaraz, forcing him to retire.

He then skipped Barcelona to protect a thigh problem that had flared up earlier in Monte Carlo. The same story repeated in 2025, when a soleus injury ended his Buenos Aires campaign and another leg issue halted another French Open resurgence.

Nole has seen enough withdrawals and retirements at the Slams himself. Last year, he exited the Australian Open in the semifinals after dropping the opening set to Zverev and retiring mid-match due to a hamstring injury.

As another fan wrote, “Well said, Nole. Classy and respectful. Speedy recovery to Musetti who was outstanding today.”

Yet, the challenge isn’t over for one of them. As one fan pointed out, “Musetti played great tennis and deserved to go through, Novak got lucky. He won’t get that luck in the semi finals.”

It may be over for Lorenzo Musetti for now, as he focuses on recovery and the next tournaments. But Djokovic’s path only gets tougher. He’ll likely face the winner of Jannik Sinner and Ben Shelton. The Italian has dominated him in five of their last meetings since the 2023 ATP Finals.

Last year, Sinner beat him twice in semis, at Roland Garros and Wimbledon. Against Shelton, Djokovic holds a 1-0 lead, yet the American’s booming lefty serve is on fire. The question looms, will Novak Djokovic be ready for the challenge?