Melbourne, Jan 28 (NationPress) Novak Djokovic, a ten-time champion of the Australian Open, advanced to his 13th semifinal at Melbourne Park on Wednesday afternoon in a startling fashion when the fifth seed Lorenzo Musetti withdrew while leading by two sets.

The Italian was ahead 6-4, 6-3 before sustaining a right leg injury during the third game of the third set. Meanwhile, Djokovic achieved another remarkable feat simply by entering the court on Wednesday; the former world number one became just the third man to participate in 1,400 tour-level matches.

Musetti entered Rod Laver Arena having previously lost all three major encounters against Djokovic. He showcased a commendable performance in the quarterfinals, taking a two-set lead. However, he appeared to injure his upper right leg in the third game of the third set. Despite efforts to continue after receiving physiotherapy at 1-2, Musetti had to retire after a playtime of two hours and eight minutes.

Having become the second-oldest man in the Open Era to reach the semifinals of the Australian Open, Djokovic, who moved past the quarterfinals after Jakub Mensik withdrew due to injury before their fourth-round match, now advances to a semifinal against the winner of the quarterfinal clash between second seed Jannik Sinner and eighth seed Ben Shelton.

“I’m at a loss for words, I feel genuinely sorry for him, and he was playing exceptionally well. I was preparing to head home tonight. Such incidents occur in sports. I’ve experienced them a few times myself, but to be in the quarters of a Grand Slam, two sets up, and in complete control, it’s incredibly unfortunate. I can’t express my feelings more than wishing him a speedy recovery. He deserved to win today, without a doubt,” Djokovic remarked during his on-court interview.

Musetti was on the verge of a significant upset with a remarkable straight-sets display, establishing control in the quarterfinal by clinching the first two sets against Djokovic. The fifth seed set the tone early, serving powerfully to secure the first set 6-4.

After a shaky beginning, the Italian quickly found his rhythm, consistently delivering pace and accuracy on serve to keep Djokovic under pressure. He concluded the set with confident baseline play, finishing a crucial rally with a sharply angled forehand winner to claim a well-deserved one-set lead.

Momentum continued to favor Musetti in the second set, where he broke Djokovic's serve to achieve a 6-3 victory. Djokovic fought back through a closely contested game filled with deuce points and moments of his characteristic creativity at the net, but critical errors at pivotal moments proved detrimental. Musetti capitalized on these opportunities, executing clean returns and decisive groundstrokes to convert his chances and finish the set with yet another emphatic forehand.

With his serving remaining strong and his shot-making under pressure, Musetti surged to a 2-0 lead, placing him just one set away from a remarkable quarterfinal victory over the defending champion.