A prepared Musetti to win against Djokovic is forced to withdraw

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As if it were an Italian drama, Lorenzo Musetti was forced to retire from his match against Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open 2026 after leading two sets to zero, due to feeling a strong discomfort in the upper area of his right leg adductor. With a score against him of 4-6 and 3-6, it was Novak who advanced to the semifinals in Melbourne.

Targeting the Italian's one-handed backhand, Djokovic started the match punishing his opponent, although Lorenzo hit stronger back. Musetti responded with exquisite backhand shots to Novak's attacks, who found himself outplayed at the net on several occasions. The Serbian tried to bring his opponent forward with his forehand to expose his backhand, but the world number 5 responded assertively.

With a very clear strategy on his part and far from succumbing to pressure, Lorenzo confidently took the first set of the match, sending a strong message across the net, showing much more comfort than Nole in the exchange of shots.

Musetti accelerates, distancing himself from Djokovic

With simply superior confidence levels, the Italian player displayed his sharpest and most aggressive game to break his opponent's serve and regain the advantage on the scoreboard. That break could have opened up a significant gap between them, but Djokovic capitalized on his opportunities following a poor service game from his opponent to get back into the match.

Desperation took hold of Djokovic against Musetti's high level of play, although he gradually regained energy from the baseline. With minimal movement at times, Djokovic's lack of intensity in his legs revealed his greatest deficiency in the match. With direct returns or multi-shot rallies, Lorenzo imposed his style to claim significant territory.

Physical issues abruptly halt Musetti

Just after losing the second set, the physio appeared on court to treat the Serbian in the foot area to heal his wounds. While Djokovic stretched, Musetti conceded a break with a poor service game after injuring his right leg, specifically in the adductor area, while hitting a shot, with gestures that were far from hopeful. Putting his hand to his face, Lorenzo was attended to by the medical team to try to find a solution to this unexpected problem.

Taking risks with line shots, the Italian was forced to shorten points drastically, seeking immediate winners. Unable to even run forward or at the baseline, there was little for Lorenzo to do beyond acknowledging that the physical issues were debilitating. With disappointment, the Italian had to retire.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Un Musetti preparado para ganar a Djokovic se ve obligado a retirarse