Djokovic’s luck continues to shine! He escaped death after being two sets down: At that moment, he knew he was going home

Because Menšík withdrew injured in the fourth round, Djokovic had an entire three-day break before the Australian Open quarterfinals. Facing Musetti today, Djokovic dropped the first two sets, yet fortune sided with him again—Musetti’s injury retirement enabled this Serbian icon to move on to the semifinals in a mixed feeling of relief and disappointment.

When Musetti retired, the score stood at 6-4, 6-3, 1-3. Before the retirement, Djokovic was clearly on the back foot, struggling to find his rhythm, while Musetti firmly controlled the match. From the start, Musetti played aggressively and creatively, dominating rallies and dictating the pace, winning two consecutive sets and seemingly heading steadily toward his first-ever Australian Open semifinal appearance.

The turning point came early in the third set. Musetti suddenly stopped while chasing a ball and showed clear signs of discomfort, freezing the atmosphere in the stadium. He requested a medical timeout due to a thigh issue, but despite efforts to recover, he was unable to serve or move properly. Ultimately, trailing 1-3 in the third set, the fifth seed approached the net and regretfully chose to retire. As he left the court, an emotional Musetti needed support from his team, while the crowd responded with warm and sympathetic applause.

After the match, Djokovic showed great honesty and empathy, saying, “I really don’t know what to say, I can only say I feel sorry for him. He was playing better, and I should have gone home tonight.” Reflecting on the harshness of sports, he added, “These things happen in sports. I’ve experienced it myself a few times—leading by two sets in a Grand Slam quarterfinal, fully in control, but unable to finish the match. It’s really unfortunate. There’s no doubt today should have been his win. I just hope he recovers quickly.”

In fact, Djokovic’s own performance in this match was also concerning; he played loosely with many errors and showed clear signs of frustration. After the second set, he even received treatment for a blister on his foot. Had the match continued, his fitness and physical condition would likely have been severely tested. Since his third-round win over Van de Zandschulp on January 24, he hadn’t won a single set until this narrow escape, which came shortly after he almost got disqualified for losing his temper.

Despite this, Djokovic is still pushing history further, chasing his 25th Grand Slam men’s singles title to hold the record alone. To surpass Margaret Court’s record of 24 titles, he must manage his fitness more carefully in the upcoming matches—shortening points, pacing himself wisely, and continuing to rely somewhat on good fortune.

Along with reaching the semifinals, Djokovic quietly rewrote several records. Just by stepping on the court, he became the third male player in history to compete in 1,400 tour-level matches, joining Connors and Federer. According to ATP data, his tour record now stands at 1167 wins and 233 losses. More importantly, with this victory, he claimed the Open Era record for most Australian Open men’s singles wins at 103, surpassing Federer’s previous record of 102. This number even exceeds his total wins at Wimbledon, further solidifying the Australian Open as his most successful Grand Slam tournament.

At 38 years old, Djokovic also boasts the highest win rate among Connors, Federer, and himself, with an impressive 83.4%. He is also the top winner in the ATP “World No. 1 Club” among its 29 members. However, concerns remain—the form issues exposed against Musetti suggest he may face a real test in the semifinals. Last year, it was at this stage that he retired due to injury, giving the final spot to Zverev.

Now, as Djokovic races against time to recover, a key question remains unresolved: after having already made history, can he regain enough sharpness and consistency to go further in this year’s Australian Open and possibly reach the final once again?(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Spark)