AO 2026 | Djokovic calls walkover QF win 'unfortunate' after Musetti retires with injury - WATCH
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "AO 2026 | Djokovic calls walkover QF win 'unfortunate' after Musetti retires with injury - WATCH")
Djokovic gets walkover QF win after Musetti retires with inury Photograph: (X/Aus Open)
Lorenzo Musetti was 6-4, 6-3, 1-3 ahead against Novak Djokovic when he decided to retire with an injury, paving the way for 24-time grand slam champion Djokovic to enter the semis of Australian Open 2026.
Novak Djokovic advanced to Australian Open 2026 semis after Lorenzo Musetti retired despite being two set up on Wednesday (Jan 28) at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne Park. Djokovic was trailing 6-4, 6-3, 1-3 when Musetti decided to retire, handing a walkover win to 24-time grand slam champions Djokovic. The Serbian will now face the winner fo Jannik Sinner vs Ben Shelton for a place in the final. Notably, it was Djokovic who had retired last year in Australian Open 2025 semis against Alexander Zverev and misses a potential place in the final, eventually won by Sinner.
Djokovic calls Musetti retiring 'unfortunate'
Djokovic may have gotten the win but he didn't like way it happened, probably because he had suffered the same fate quite a few times in his career. He empathised with Musetti and said: "These kind of things happen in sport, and it happened to me a few times. But being in the quarters of a Grand Slam, two sets to love up, and being in full control, I mean, so unfortunate. I really wish him a speedy recovery, and he should have been a winner today, I have no doubt."
Djokovic, chasing his record and elusive 25th grand slam title, is now one step closer to reach no player has ever been to beofre.
Gauff lost to Elina Svitolina 6-1, 6-2 on Tuesday (Jan 27) at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne Park and smashed the racquet to bits in an unhinged moment while walking back to locker room. The American, however, did not like the video being picked up by the camera and felt that such incidents 'don't need to be broadcast.' Gauff also explained why she broke the racquet while talking to reporters.
Trending Stories
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
Gauff said that she 'tried to go somewhere without camera' as she didn't want to smash the racquet in front of kids and said: “I just took the minute to go and do that. I don’t think it’s a bad thing. Like I said, I don’t try to do it on court in front of kids and things like that, but I do know I need to let out that emotion."
