Lorenzo Musetti retires from Australian Open quarter-final against Novak Djokovic
Lorenzo Musetti has expressed his heartbreak after being compelled to withdraw from his Australian Open quarter-final against Novak Djokovic while holding a commanding two-set advantage, describing the moment as the most agonising retirement of his career, reports BritPanorama.
The 23-year-old Italian, currently ranked fifth in the world, was on the verge of a significant upset over the 10-time champion in Melbourne when a suspected muscle tear in his right leg forced him to abandon the match.
“Honestly, I never imagined, you know, the feeling of leading two sets to zero against Novak and playing like that and have the lead of the match like that and be forced to retire is something that, of course, I will never imagine. Of course, it’s really painful,” Musetti remarked.
The injury first became apparent at the start of the second set, when Musetti noticed something unusual in his right leg. “I felt there was something strange in my right leg,” he continued, revealing that despite feeling discomfort, he initially continued to play as he felt he was performing well. However, the pain intensified as the match progressed.
After taking a medical timeout early in the third set, the pain grew dramatically upon attempting to resume play. Musetti expressed confidence that he had sustained a muscle tear but acknowledged the need for medical examinations to confirm this diagnosis. “I feel personally that I know my body, and I feel personally that I’m kind of secure that this is a tear, unfortunately,” he said.
The specifics of the injury complicated on-court treatment, with Musetti explaining that taping was not feasible due to the location of the problem. “Well, to tape it, it was a little bit too high, so it was impossible to tape it,” he added, indicating uncertainty whether the damage was to his adductor or another muscle. He confirmed plans to undergo thorough tests upon returning home.
Prior to Musetti’s withdrawal, Djokovic appeared to be struggling, committing 31 unforced errors in the opening two sets. The fourth seed later admitted he had been “on the way home” during the match and acknowledged that his opponent deserved to win. Musetti retired with the score at 6-4, 6-3, 1-3, 15-40, walking to the net with visible disappointment.
This incident marks the tenth mid-match retirement of Musetti’s injury-plagued career, and his third at a Grand Slam tournament. “There was no sense and no way” to continue, he remarked, citing the injury’s impact on his movement and ability to serve properly.
Djokovic will advance to the semi-finals on Friday, maintaining his pursuit of a 25th Grand Slam title, a milestone that would place him ahead of Margaret Court in the record books.
In sport, heartbreak and triumph often dance an unpredictable tango, a reminder that in the quest for glory, the physical toll can be as decisive as any moment on the scoreboard.
