What Happened to Lorenzo Musetti at Australian Open 2026?
Italian fifth seed Lorenzo Musetti sees his Australian Open 2026 campaign end in tragedy after an upper leg injury forced him to withdraw while leading world number four Novak Djokovic.
The Australian Open 2026 quarter-finals witnessed a dramatic and unfortunate conclusion on Wednesday, 28 January, as Lorenzo Musetti was forced to retire from his match against Novak Djokovic. Despite a commanding two-set lead and being in the best form of his career, the 23-year-old Italian succumbed to an upper right leg injury in the third set. The retirement allowed Djokovic to advance to his 13th Melbourne semi-final, though the 10-time champion admitted he was "extremely lucky" to progress under such circumstances. The Elina Svitolina-Gael Monfils Love Story: A Defining Chapter at Australian Open 2026.
Lorenzo Musetti Injury
Musetti entered the match on Rod Laver Arena as the underdog but quickly took control, showcasing a sophisticated all-court game. He secured the first two sets 6-4, 6-3, frustrating Djokovic with his signature one-handed backhand and tactical depth. However, Musetti later revealed that he first felt a "strange" sensation in his right leg at the beginning of the second set.
Adrenaline allowed the world number five to continue playing at an elite level until the early stages of the third set. At 1-2 in the third, Musetti took a medical timeout as the pain intensified. Upon returning to the court, his movement was visibly compromised, and he opted to retire while trailing 1-3 in the set (6-4, 6-3, 1-3), handing Djokovic a path into the final four. Who is Learner Tien? Know All About American Tennis Player Who Refused to Answer Donald Trump Question at Australian Open 2026.
Lorenzo Musetti Injury Forces him to Retire
Concerns of a Muscle Tear
In his post-match press conference, a devastated Musetti expressed fears that the injury is a significant muscle tear, potentially to the adductor or hip flexor. "I know my body, and I feel kind of secure that this is a tear, unfortunately," Musetti stated. He noted that the pain became unbearable once he sat down during the medical timeout, making it impossible to continue competing.
The timing is particularly cruel for the Italian, who was on the verge of reaching his maiden Australian Open semi-final. Having started the 2026 season with a career-high ranking of world number five, Musetti was widely considered the "better player" on the day, a sentiment echoed by Djokovic in his on-court interview.
Noval Djokovic Advances Amidst Struggles
Novak Djokovic’s passage to the semi-finals has been marked by significant fortune. Before Musetti’s retirement, the 38-year-old Serbian had advanced through the fourth round via a walkover against Jakub Mensik. Djokovic himself struggled during the quarter-final, receiving treatment for blisters on his feet and committing 31 unforced errors in the first two sets alone.
Despite his own physical niggles, Djokovic remains the favourite to challenge for a 25th Grand Slam title. He is scheduled to face defending champion Jannik Sinner in the semi-finals on Friday, 30 January.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 29, 2026 09:47 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).