'I was on my way home': Fate on Novak's side as Musetti suffers 'painful' pill to swallow

(Getty/David Gray)

Six months ago at Wimbledon, Grigor Dimitrov was two sets to the good against then world No.1 Jannik Sinner, only to be cruelled by a devastating torn pectoral injury, which forced a premature retirement four games into the third set.

On Wednesday, fifth seed Lorenzo Musetti experienced similar heartbreak, as he had to retire up to sets to love against an underwhelming Novak Djokovic

Musetti, who had a stellar 2025 season topped off by qualifying for his maiden ATP Finals in November, was playing some of the best tennis of his life to take the opening two sets 6-4, 6-3.

Everything seemed to be going in the Italian's favour, especially when Djokovic called for a medical timeout before the commencement of set three to treat foot blisters.

However, 20 minutes later, Musetti required medical attention of his own for a sudden leg injury. And just a couple of games later, the 23-year-old called it quits at the net, trailing 1-3, barely able to move properly.

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Musetti qualified for last year's ATP Finals at the last second when Djokovic withdrew from the tournament, but this time, his luck turned in the most heartbreaking way imaginable.

"I felt it at the beginning of the second set. I felt there was something strange in my right leg. I continued to play, because I was playing really, really, really well, but I was feeling that the pain was increasing, and the problem was not getting away," Musetti told reporters.

"At the end, when I took the medical timeout, to stay three minutes, I sitted, and when I started to play again, I felt even more and was getting higher and higher the level of the pain."

When asked if it was the hardest defeat to take, Musetti replied: "Definitely yes. Honestly, I never imagined the feeling of leading two sets to zero against Novak and playing like that, and have the lead of the match like that and be forced to retire is something that... It's really painful."

Djokovic will now face either Jannik Sinner or Ben Shelton in the last four, but the 24-time major champion understands that he must improve, having reached the semis without winning a set in his past two rounds (fourth round walkover).

"I think I've underperformed for the level that I showed throughout this tournament up to today. So, yeah, I have to play better," he confessed.

"I mean, no doubt about it. I know that if I'm feeling well and the body is holding on and I'm playing well, then, I mean, I always have a chance."

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