Melbourne, Jan 20 (NationPress) World No. 5 Lorenzo Musetti from Italy made his way to the second round after his Belgian adversary Raphael Collignon had to retire due to injury.

The match turned into a challenging three-hour encounter, where Musetti held a lead of 4-6, 7-6(3), 7-5, 3-2 when Collignon could no longer continue.

This match marked Musetti's debut in a Grand Slam event, occurring just after he reached a career-high ranking of No. 5 on January 12, 2026, following his performance in Hong Kong. He is the third Italian man to achieve this ranking.

Initially, Musetti's start to the first Grand Slam of the year was rocky as he granted an early lead to Collignon, who took the first set 6-4. The fifth seed missed a crucial break point early in the set and struggled to regain momentum against his Belgian competitor.

However, Musetti, after enduring immense pressure from the World No. 72, fought back and clinched a fierce tie-break in the second set, winning it 7-6 (7-3).

With Musetti looking strong to advance, Collignon would have needed something extraordinary to change the momentum.

Just as Musetti appeared to be in control, holding a lead in the fourth set with the score at 4-6, 7-6 (7-3), 7-5, 3-2, Collignon withdrew due to injury, granting Musetti a walkover.

The Italian star urged the audience to applaud Collignon as he exited the court, visibly exhausted.

Collignon exhibited evident signs of physical distress in the third set and had to retire despite receiving on-court medical attention. He has a history of physical challenges in demanding matches, including severe cramping during a Davis Cup match against de Minaur in late 2025.

Musetti will now face his Italian compatriot, Lorenzo Sonego, in the second round.

Sonego, who triumphed over Musetti at the Paris Masters in late 2025, secured his latest match victory in four sets earlier today.