The withdrawal of the veteran player ends Federer’s record! Netizens bless the legend, Djokovic thought he was going home.

A match where a young player challenged a legend ended abruptly with “The Taoist” Musetti’s injury retirement. Although many spectators expressed disappointment, Djokovic set two new records at the Australian Open and earned the title of “Melbourne’s luckiest man.”

After meeting in the quarterfinals, Musetti openly declared his ambition to push Djokovic to his limits and claim the victory against the legend.

However, many doubted Musetti’s words, saying that while he might pose a real threat to the Serbian star on clay courts, it would be extremely difficult on the Australian Open’s hard courts. They argued that Musetti’s style struggles to challenge Djokovic on hard surfaces.

Especially after Musetti lost his first service game in the opening set, this belief was reinforced. When Djokovic led 4-1 in the first set, live chat was flooded with comments predicting Musetti would be taught another lesson by Djokovic, highlighting the clear gap between them on hard courts.

Just when everyone thought Djokovic would easily take the first set, no one expected Musetti to suddenly be possessed by a fighting spirit, winning five consecutive games to complete a stunning comeback and clinch the first set 6-4.

This unexpected turn made many fans and viewers reconsider their earlier doubts about Musetti and wonder what went wrong for Djokovic to collapse so suddenly.

In terms of skill and major tournament experience, Djokovic is superior to the Italian; physically, with Menšík’s pre-match withdrawal granting him a spot in the quarterfinals, there were no concerns either. Moreover, Djokovic rarely loses after gaining a significant lead, so this unusual event made many worry that the Serbian star might be overwhelmed by Musetti’s ambition.

In the second set, Djokovic heightened everyone’s anxiety. Falling behind 3-6 after failing to keep up with Musetti’s pace, he dashed all pre-match expectations placed on him.

Even with Djokovic leading in the third set, some admitted that hoping for a comeback from the 38-year-old veteran was unrealistic—not due to doubts about his ability, but because of his age. The prediction was that Musetti would likely win in three or four sets, shattering Djokovic’s dream of a 25th Grand Slam title in Melbourne Park prematurely.

Just as fans and netizens were beginning to feel sympathy, a dramatic moment occurred: Musetti retired due to injury while trailing 1-3 in the third set, allowing Djokovic to advance to the Australian Open semifinals despite losing two sets in a row. This plot twist left everyone exclaiming how explosive the turn of events was.

Some humorously teased Djokovic, saying that after receiving two consecutive walkovers in three days, if he still fails to claim the 25th Grand Slam, it can’t be blamed on bad luck—perhaps destiny simply isn’t aligned with this dream trophy.

Musetti’s retirement not only boosted Djokovic’s current world ranking to third but also helped him set two new records: surpassing Federer with his 103rd Australian Open match win, becoming the all-time leader, and reaching the Australian Open semifinals for the 13th time, marking a new record at the tournament.

“Apart from feeling sorry for him, I don’t know what else to say. He was definitely the better player today. I had already prepared myself to go home tonight. These things happen in sports, I’ve been through it a few times myself. Imagine leading 2-0 in a Grand Slam quarterfinal, fully controlling the match—it’s just unlucky. I don’t know what else to say, I wish him a speedy recovery. Without a doubt, today’s victory should have been his,” Djokovic said after the match, expressing regret over Musetti’s injury at such a crucial moment and emphasizing that he hadn’t expected to reach the semifinals, having mentally prepared to leave Melbourne Park.

Fans and netizens rejoiced at Djokovic’s unexpected good fortune in a dire situation, calling him “blessed legend,” while also sympathizing deeply with Musetti. Had it not been for untimely injury, this might have been a historic upset, as few have beaten Djokovic at the Australian Open. Unfortunately, fate showed no mercy at the critical moment, causing the Italian to miss this golden opportunity.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Starry Sky of the Moon River)