Lorenzo Musetti suffered a heartbreak during the Australian Open 2026 quarterfinal on Wednesday (Jan 28) vs Novak Djokovic. The sixth seed Italian was two sets up when he was forced to retire, giving Djokovic a walkover to the semis. Musetti was devastated after the injury which he says he 'suffered at the start of second set.' He also took a medical timeout for what appears to be a tear in his right leg but the pain become so unbearable that he had to retire in the end. His opponent Djokovic was also not happy with how the things unfolded and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ao-2026-watch-djokovic-gets-walkover-qf-win-at-two-sets-down-after-musetti-retires-with-inury-1769583180494">called the win 'unfortunate.'</a><h2>Why did Musetti retire vs Djokovic in Aus Open 2026 QF?</h2>Talking at the post-match press conference, Musetti revealed that he could not get back to centre of the court with an injury in right leg and found no sense in continuing."I could have continued, but the pain increased after the medical timeout. I could no longer run back to the center of the court after hitting my forehand, and there was no sense of continuing," Musetti said.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ao-2026-kept-my-head-down-anisimova-learns-from-gauff-and-avoids-being-emotional-after-loss-1769596100767">AO 2026 | Anisimova learns from Gauff and avoids being emotional after loss</a>Further explaining the injury, the Italian added: "I started to feel discomfort at the start of the second set. I felt something strange in my right leg. I played really well, and I kept going. However, the pain was increasing, and the problem was not going away. I took a medical timeout and rested for a couple of minutes. When I started playing again, the pain became even more intense. At that point, there was not much to say or do. I have no words to describe how I feel now - this really hurts me."Upon being asked if something else could have been done to avoid the retirement, Musetti replied: "Strapping was impossible because the affected area was too high. I know my body, and I'm pretty sure it's a tear. It seems to be toward the adductor or nearby. I will do further tests when I get home."The Italian was very disappointed for missing out a QF win against Djokovic - a legend of the sport with 24 grand slam titles including 10 Aus Open."I never imagine this would happen to me from two sets to love against Novak and after the way I played. It's extremely painful. My serve worked well and I pushed from the baseline after feeling the ball nicely," he said.<h2>Djokovic to face Sinner in AO 2026 semis</h2>Djokovic will now face Jannik Sinner in the semis of Australian Open 2026. Sinner beat USA's Ben Shelton 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 for his 19th consecutive win in the Australian Open history. Sinner is now <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ao-2026-history-awaits-sinner-italian-star-s-qf-vs-shelton-will-get-him-closer-to-record-aus-open-title-1769512425261">equal to Roger Federer for most consecutive AO wins</a> and is behind only Novak Djokovic (33), Andre Agassi (26), Ivan Lendl (20).Sinner, a two-time defending champion, will be a favourite to win the AO 2026 semis vs Djokovic but the Serbian, who got a walkover win in R4 as well as in QF, will be fresh and can't be discounted - given that he has won the tournament 10 times - the most by any player.

He also took a medical timeout for what appears to be a tear in his right leg but the pain become so unbearable that he had to retire in the end. The Italian was very disappointed for missing out a QF win vs Djokovic - a legend of the sport with 24 grand slam titles including 10 Aus Open.

Lorenzo Musetti suffered a heartbreak during the Australian Open 2026 quarterfinal on Wednesday (Jan 28) vs Novak Djokovic. The sixth seed Italian was two sets up when he was forced to retire, giving Djokovic a walkover to the semis. Musetti was devastated after the injury which he says he 'suffered at the start of second set.' He also took a medical timeout for what appears to be a tear in his right leg but the pain become so unbearable that he had to retire in the end. His opponent Djokovic was also not happy with how the things unfolded and called the win 'unfortunate.' Why did Musetti retire vs Djokovic in Aus Open 2026 QF? Talking at the post-match press conference, Musetti revealed that he could not get back to centre of the court with an injury in right leg and found no sense in continuing. "I could have continued, but the pain increased after the medical timeout. I could no longer run back to the center of the court after hitting my forehand, and there was no sense of continuing," Musetti said. Also Read - AO 2026 | Anisimova learns from Gauff and avoids being emotional after loss Further explaining the injury, the Italian added: "I started to feel discomfort at the start of the second set. I felt something strange in my right leg. I played really well, and I kept going. However, the pain was increasing, and the problem was not going away. I took a medical timeout and rested for a couple of minutes. When I started playing again, the pain became even more intense. At that point, there was not much to say or do. I have no words to describe how I feel now - this really hurts me." Upon being asked if something else could have been done to avoid the retirement, Musetti replied: "Strapping was impossible because the affected area was too high. I know my body, and I'm pretty sure it's a tear. It seems to be toward the adductor or nearby. I will do further tests when I get home." The Italian was very disappointed for missing out a QF win against Djokovic - a legend of the sport with 24 grand slam titles including 10 Aus Open. "I never imagine this would happen to me from two sets to love against Novak and after the way I played. It's extremely painful. My serve worked well and I pushed from the baseline after feeling the ball nicely," he said. Djokovic to face Sinner in AO 2026 semis Djokovic will now face Jannik Sinner in the semis of Australian Open 2026. Sinner beat USA's Ben Shelton 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 for his 19th consecutive win in the Australian Open history. Sinner is now equal to Roger Federer for most consecutive AO wins and is behind only Novak Djokovic (33), Andre Agassi (26), Ivan Lendl (20). Sinner, a two-time defending champion, will be a favourite to win the AO 2026 semis vs Djokovic but the Serbian, who got a walkover win in R4 as well as in QF, will be fresh and can't be discounted - given that he has won the tournament 10 times - the most by any player.

He also took a medical timeout for what appears to be a tear in his right leg but the pain become so unbearable that he had to retire in the end. The Italian was very disappointed for missing out a QF win vs Djokovic - a legend of the sport with 24 grand slam titles including 10 Aus Open.

AO 2026 | 'Toward adductor...': Heartbroken Musetti reveals why he retired vs Djokovic in QF

Novak Djokovic advanced to Australian Open 2026 semis after Lorenzo Musetti retired despite being two set up &nbsp;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.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">The sport we all love can be brutal sometimes... 💔 WIshing you a speedy recovery, Lorenzo 🙌<a href="https://twitter.com/wwos?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@wwos</a> • <a href="https://twitter.com/espn?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@espn</a> • <a href="https://twitter.com/tntsports?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@tntsports</a> • <a href="https://twitter.com/wowowtennis?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@wowowtennis</a> • <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AO26?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AO26</a> <a href="https://t.co/bC5wLyLrxo">pic.twitter.com/bC5wLyLrxo</a>&mdash; #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) <a href="https://twitter.com/AustralianOpen/status/2016403713850523938?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 28, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<h2>Djokovic calls Musetti retiring 'unfortunate'</h2>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."Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/iga-swiatek-follows-coco-gauff-on-her-way-out-of-australian-open-2026-in-another-quarterfinal-shocker-1769569321607">Swiatek follows Gauff on her way out of Australian Open in another QF shocker</a>Djokovic, chasing his record and elusive 25th grand slam title, is now one step closer to reach no player has ever been to beofre.<h2><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ao-2026-not-a-bad-thing-coco-gauff-unhappy-after-racquet-smashing-video-goes-viral-after-loss-vs-svitolina-1769524149236">Coco Gauff unhappy after racquet smashing video goes viral</a></h2>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.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."

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.

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.

AO 2026 | Djokovic calls walkover QF win 'unfortunate' after Musetti retires with injury - WATCH

Carlos Alcaraz knocked rival Jannik Sinner off the top of the standings on Thursday after securing the year-end world number one spot by beating Lorenzo Musetti at the ATP Finals 6-4, 6-1 in Turin.&nbsp;A double-Grand Slam winner this season, Alcaraz will be ahead of Sinner in the updated men's rankings on Monday thanks to his success over Musetti which also sealed first place for the Spaniard in the Jimmy Connors Group at the season-ending tournament.&nbsp;Alcaraz, who has won 70 matches so far this season, could lose his semi-final on Saturday but will now still finish 2025 top of the pile, even if Sinner retains his Finals title on home turf.&nbsp;But Alcaraz looks in no mood to do that as he seeks his first Finals triumph, and he appears to be on course for yet another final showdown against Italy's Sinner, who qualified in first place from the Bjorn Borg Group on Wednesday.&nbsp;"It means the world to me to be honest, the year number one is always a goal," said Alcaraz.&nbsp;"To be honest at the beginning of the year I saw the number one really far away, Jannik being there winning almost every tournament he plays.&nbsp;"For me it means everything. The work that we put in every day during the whole season, up and downs, comebacks from the tennis side. So I'm really proud of my team and myself."&nbsp;Alcaraz has won four of his five meetings with Sinner this season, all of which have been in finals of top-level tournaments -- with two deciding Grand Slams.&nbsp;The 22-year-old won one of the best matches in tennis history against Sinner to retain his French Open title in June before losing the Wimbledon final to the Italian.&nbsp;And on Thursday he confidently dealt with Sinner's countryman Musetti who has been eliminated and will not take part in the Davis Cup Final 8, which is being held in Bologna next week.&nbsp;A passionate crowd cheered on Musetti but it was to no avail for the world number nine who only qualified for the Finals due to Novak Djokovic pulling out at the last minute and clearly flagged in the second set.&nbsp;"I was tired, I knew it would be hard to recover from the battles of the last few months and above all the last few weeks... I needed a miracle today," said Musetti, who came to the Finals after losing the Athens final to Djokovic on Sunday.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-steve-smith-to-joe-root-5-active-batters-with-most-runs-in-ashes-ben-stokes-jonny-bairstow-usman-khawaja-1762275784636">From Steve Smith to Joe Root, 5 active batters with most runs in Ashes</a><h2>De Minaur through</h2>Heading into the semis with Alcaraz is Alex de Minaur who did his part to qualify with a straight-sets win against Taylor Fritz, 7-6 (7/3), 6-3 earlier on Thursday.&nbsp;Australia's De Minaur had to win in two sets in order to have any chance of making it out of the group, and he will now face Sinner in the semis.&nbsp;Hard court specialist De Minaur won his 43rd match of the season on the surface, the most on the men's tour, and was too much for Fritz once he prevailed in the first set tie-break.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-leonard-hutton-to-don-bradman-5-batters-with-highest-individual-score-in-ashes-bob-simpson-bob-cowper-ashes-2025-26-1762276944046">From Leonard Hutton to Don Bradman, 5 batters with highest individual score in Ashes</a>&nbsp;"Couple days ago was one of the toughest days I've had in my career. I was in a very, very dark spot. I could tell you that I hated the sport," De Minaur told reporters.&nbsp;"Here we are two days later and I'm feeling great about myself. It's incredible."&nbsp;De Minaur revealed that personal battle after defeat to Musetti on Tuesday helped his mindset coming into the match with Fritz.&nbsp;"Regardless of the result today, I had made peace with myself. That was a big, big moment. I knew the way I wanted to play. I was going to commit to it from the first point to the last," he said.&nbsp;"I was okay with the result not going my way. I had made peace with that. I just wanted to play my way."&nbsp;Defeat for Fritz in one hour and 35 minutes ended the American's participation in this year's edition of the Finals.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Carlos Alcaraz, who has won 70 matches so far this season, could lose his semi-final on Saturday but will now still finish 2025 top of the pile, even if Sinner retains his Finals title on home turf.

Carlos Alcaraz knocked rival Jannik Sinner off the top of the standings on Thursday after securing the year-end world number one spot by beating Lorenzo Musetti at the ATP Finals 6-4, 6-1 in Turin. A double-Grand Slam winner this season, Alcaraz will be ahead of Sinner in the updated men's rankings on Monday thanks to his success over Musetti which also sealed first place for the Spaniard in the Jimmy Connors Group at the season-ending tournament. Alcaraz, who has won 70 matches so far this season, could lose his semi-final on Saturday but will now still finish 2025 top of the pile, even if Sinner retains his Finals title on home turf. But Alcaraz looks in no mood to do that as he seeks his first Finals triumph, and he appears to be on course for yet another final showdown against Italy's Sinner, who qualified in first place from the Bjorn Borg Group on Wednesday. "It means the world to me to be honest, the year number one is always a goal," said Alcaraz. "To be honest at the beginning of the year I saw the number one really far away, Jannik being there winning almost every tournament he plays. "For me it means everything. The work that we put in every day during the whole season, up and downs, comebacks from the tennis side. So I'm really proud of my team and myself." Alcaraz has won four of his five meetings with Sinner this season, all of which have been in finals of top-level tournaments -- with two deciding Grand Slams. The 22-year-old won one of the best matches in tennis history against Sinner to retain his French Open title in June before losing the Wimbledon final to the Italian. And on Thursday he confidently dealt with Sinner's countryman Musetti who has been eliminated and will not take part in the Davis Cup Final 8, which is being held in Bologna next week. A passionate crowd cheered on Musetti but it was to no avail for the world number nine who only qualified for the Finals due to Novak Djokovic pulling out at the last minute and clearly flagged in the second set. "I was tired, I knew it would be hard to recover from the battles of the last few months and above all the last few weeks... I needed a miracle today," said Musetti, who came to the Finals after losing the Athens final to Djokovic on Sunday. ALSO READ | From Steve Smith to Joe Root, 5 active batters with most runs in Ashes De Minaur through Heading into the semis with Alcaraz is Alex de Minaur who did his part to qualify with a straight-sets win against Taylor Fritz, 7-6 (7/3), 6-3 earlier on Thursday. Australia's De Minaur had to win in two sets in order to have any chance of making it out of the group, and he will now face Sinner in the semis. Hard court specialist De Minaur won his 43rd match of the season on the surface, the most on the men's tour, and was too much for Fritz once he prevailed in the first set tie-break. ALSO READ | From Leonard Hutton to Don Bradman, 5 batters with highest individual score in Ashes "Couple days ago was one of the toughest days I've had in my career. I was in a very, very dark spot. I could tell you that I hated the sport," De Minaur told reporters. "Here we are two days later and I'm feeling great about myself. It's incredible." De Minaur revealed that personal battle after defeat to Musetti on Tuesday helped his mindset coming into the match with Fritz. "Regardless of the result today, I had made peace with myself. That was a big, big moment. I knew the way I wanted to play. I was going to commit to it from the first point to the last," he said. "I was okay with the result not going my way. I had made peace with that. I just wanted to play my way." Defeat for Fritz in one hour and 35 minutes ended the American's participation in this year's edition of the Finals. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Carlos Alcaraz, who has won 70 matches so far this season, could lose his semi-final on Saturday but will now still finish 2025 top of the pile, even if Sinner retains his Finals title on home turf.

ATP Finals: Carlos Alcaraz beats Jannik Sinner to end year as world number one after defeating Lorenzo Musetti

Taylor Fritz got his bid for a first ATP Finals crown off to the best possible start with a comprehensive 6-3, 6-4 win over home favourite Lorenzo Musetti in Turin on Monday.&nbsp;The 28-year-old American, who lost in last year's final to Jannik Sinner, was out of the blocks quickly in the Jimmy Connors group match, taking an early break and holding on to pocket the first set.&nbsp;The crowd did their best to lift a visibly fatigued Musetti who was a late addition to the line-up.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-steve-smith-to-joe-root-5-active-batters-with-most-runs-in-ashes-ben-stokes-jonny-bairstow-usman-khawaja-1762275784636">From Steve Smith to Joe Root, 5 active batters with most runs in Ashes</a>&nbsp;He only qualified for the Finals on Saturday after Novak Djokovic pulled out with injury, shortly after beating the Italian in the final of the Athens event.&nbsp;Winning 84 percent of his first serves and giving away just four break point chances, none of which were taken, Fritz continued to control the match.&nbsp;The American broke to go 3-1 up and served cleanly all the way to the line.&nbsp;"I am really happy. I thought I did a lot of things really well," Fritz said.&nbsp;"I did a great job early on in the match to serve my way out of trouble and save some break points. The whole second set I played well and had a lot of chances to break that I didn’t get.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-leonard-hutton-to-don-bradman-5-batters-with-highest-individual-score-in-ashes-bob-simpson-bob-cowper-ashes-2025-26-1762276944046">From Leonard Hutton to Don Bradman, 5 batters with highest individual score in Ashes</a>&nbsp;"I am really happy I was able to serve it out there and it didn’t come back to ruin it."&nbsp;Fritz qualified sixth for the Finals and after finishing runner-up last year is gearing up for another tilt at the title.&nbsp;"Every time I come here, I like the conditions and it is very easy to get motivated and fired up," said Fritz.&nbsp;"You can lock in, it is the last tournament of the year and it is the ATP Finals, it's a big deal.”&nbsp;Neither player will have time to rest as both are back on court on Tuesday.&nbsp;Fritz faces Carlos Alcaraz who also got off to a winning start by beating Alex de Minaur on Sunday while Musetti takes on the Australian.&nbsp;Later on Monday, Sinner takes on the Canadian Felix Auger-Alissime in the Bjorn Borg group.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Taylor Fritz, who lost in last year's final to Jannik Sinner, was out of the blocks quickly in the Jimmy Connors group match, taking an early break and holding on to pocket the first set.

Taylor Fritz got his bid for a first ATP Finals crown off to the best possible start with a comprehensive 6-3, 6-4 win over home favourite Lorenzo Musetti in Turin on Monday. The 28-year-old American, who lost in last year's final to Jannik Sinner, was out of the blocks quickly in the Jimmy Connors group match, taking an early break and holding on to pocket the first set. The crowd did their best to lift a visibly fatigued Musetti who was a late addition to the line-up. ALSO READ | From Steve Smith to Joe Root, 5 active batters with most runs in Ashes He only qualified for the Finals on Saturday after Novak Djokovic pulled out with injury, shortly after beating the Italian in the final of the Athens event. Winning 84 percent of his first serves and giving away just four break point chances, none of which were taken, Fritz continued to control the match. The American broke to go 3-1 up and served cleanly all the way to the line. "I am really happy. I thought I did a lot of things really well," Fritz said. "I did a great job early on in the match to serve my way out of trouble and save some break points. The whole second set I played well and had a lot of chances to break that I didn’t get. ALSO READ | From Leonard Hutton to Don Bradman, 5 batters with highest individual score in Ashes "I am really happy I was able to serve it out there and it didn’t come back to ruin it." Fritz qualified sixth for the Finals and after finishing runner-up last year is gearing up for another tilt at the title. "Every time I come here, I like the conditions and it is very easy to get motivated and fired up," said Fritz. "You can lock in, it is the last tournament of the year and it is the ATP Finals, it's a big deal.” Neither player will have time to rest as both are back on court on Tuesday. Fritz faces Carlos Alcaraz who also got off to a winning start by beating Alex de Minaur on Sunday while Musetti takes on the Australian. Later on Monday, Sinner takes on the Canadian Felix Auger-Alissime in the Bjorn Borg group. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Taylor Fritz, who lost in last year's final to Jannik Sinner, was out of the blocks quickly in the Jimmy Connors group match, taking an early break and holding on to pocket the first set.

ATP Finals: 'Fired-up' Taylor Fritz sees off Lorenzo Musetti in opening round

Novak Djokovic won the 101st title of his career when he came from behind to beat Lorenzo Musetti 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 in the final of the ATP event in Athens on Saturday.&nbsp;The Serb is one of just three men to have racked up a century of titles - he still needs two to equal Roger Federer's 103 while Jimmy Connors heads the list with 109.&nbsp;At 38 years and five months old, the 24-time Grand Slam winner is the oldest tournament winner since Australia's Ken Rosewall, who was 43 when he won in Hong Kong in 1977.&nbsp;"An incredible battle... Three hours of a gruelling match, physically," said Djokovic. "It could have been anybody's match, so congrats to Lorenzo for an amazing performance. I'm just very proud of myself to get through this one."&nbsp;It was Djokovic's second title of 2025, having won on the clay of Geneva in May.&nbsp;"Novak, there are not many words to say about you and your career," said Musetti, who fell to 1-9 against Djokovic.&nbsp;"You are proving, still at your age, that you can kick us, like me today. Every time I share the court with you, I take it as a lesson, so thanks for that."&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-steve-smith-to-joe-root-5-active-batters-with-most-runs-in-ashes-ben-stokes-jonny-bairstow-usman-khawaja-1762275784636">From Steve Smith to Joe Root, 5 active batters with most runs in Ashes</a>&nbsp;Musetti had initially needed to win the title to secure the eighth and final place at next week's ATP Finals. His defeat handed Felix Auger-Aliassime a spot in Turin instead, but Djokovic's subsequent withdrawal paved the way for Musetti as well.&nbsp;Musetti, who saved a match point in his semi-final win over Sebastian Korda, has lost each of his last six finals. His only ATP titles came at Hamburg and Naples in 2022.&nbsp;Djokovic had long since qualified for Turin, but kept everyone guessing about his participation in the prestigious end-of-season tournament. He eventually decided to bring an early end to his season, skipping the ATP Finals for the second year in a row.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-leonard-hutton-to-don-bradman-5-batters-with-highest-individual-score-in-ashes-bob-simpson-bob-cowper-ashes-2025-26-1762276944046">From Leonard Hutton to Don Bradman, 5 batters with highest individual score in Ashes</a>&nbsp;The Athens event, directed by Djokovic's younger brother Djordje, was supposed to be held in Belgrade, as it was in 2024.&nbsp;But in August, the ATP announced that the tournament would instead take place in Athens, without specifying the reasons for the relocation.&nbsp;Djokovic, who had previously avoided making political statements, has in recent months on several occasions expressed support for the students who have been protesting for a year against the government of President Aleksandar Vucic.&nbsp;Since then, he has fallen out of favour with the authorities in Serbia and become a target of pro-government tabloids.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.&nbsp;

Lorenzo Musetti had initially needed to win the title to secure the eighth and final place at next week's ATP Finals. His defeat handed Felix Auger-Aliassime a spot in Turin instead, but Novak Djokovic's subsequent withdrawal paved the way for Musetti as well.

Novak Djokovic won the 101st title of his career when he came from behind to beat Lorenzo Musetti 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 in the final of the ATP event in Athens on Saturday. The Serb is one of just three men to have racked up a century of titles - he still needs two to equal Roger Federer's 103 while Jimmy Connors heads the list with 109. At 38 years and five months old, the 24-time Grand Slam winner is the oldest tournament winner since Australia's Ken Rosewall, who was 43 when he won in Hong Kong in 1977. "An incredible battle... Three hours of a gruelling match, physically," said Djokovic. "It could have been anybody's match, so congrats to Lorenzo for an amazing performance. I'm just very proud of myself to get through this one." It was Djokovic's second title of 2025, having won on the clay of Geneva in May. "Novak, there are not many words to say about you and your career," said Musetti, who fell to 1-9 against Djokovic. "You are proving, still at your age, that you can kick us, like me today. Every time I share the court with you, I take it as a lesson, so thanks for that." ALSO READ | From Steve Smith to Joe Root, 5 active batters with most runs in Ashes Musetti had initially needed to win the title to secure the eighth and final place at next week's ATP Finals. His defeat handed Felix Auger-Aliassime a spot in Turin instead, but Djokovic's subsequent withdrawal paved the way for Musetti as well. Musetti, who saved a match point in his semi-final win over Sebastian Korda, has lost each of his last six finals. His only ATP titles came at Hamburg and Naples in 2022. Djokovic had long since qualified for Turin, but kept everyone guessing about his participation in the prestigious end-of-season tournament. He eventually decided to bring an early end to his season, skipping the ATP Finals for the second year in a row. ALSO READ | From Leonard Hutton to Don Bradman, 5 batters with highest individual score in Ashes The Athens event, directed by Djokovic's younger brother Djordje, was supposed to be held in Belgrade, as it was in 2024. But in August, the ATP announced that the tournament would instead take place in Athens, without specifying the reasons for the relocation. Djokovic, who had previously avoided making political statements, has in recent months on several occasions expressed support for the students who have been protesting for a year against the government of President Aleksandar Vucic. Since then, he has fallen out of favour with the authorities in Serbia and become a target of pro-government tabloids. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Lorenzo Musetti had initially needed to win the title to secure the eighth and final place at next week's ATP Finals. His defeat handed Felix Auger-Aliassime a spot in Turin instead, but Novak Djokovic's subsequent withdrawal paved the way for Musetti as well.

Novak Djokovic edges Lorenzo Musetti to win 101st career title in Athens

Wimbledon 2025 is heading towards a grand slam of upsets as seven out of the top 20 seeds have crashed out of the elusive tournament. Let's have a look at those seven players.

Wimbledon 2025: Zverev leads list of shocking first-round exit of top seed players

Wimbledon 2025 is turning out be a Championship of upsets with as many as 23 seeded players already out of the tournament after just first round of matches in men's and women's singles. The long list is led by men's number three seed Alexander Zverev in men's singles and number two seed Coco Gauff in women's singles. Among 23 players crashed out, seven men's players were seeded 20 or higher while six women's players got the same result. The other top players who have been crashed out are ninth seed Daniil Medvedev and eighth seed Holger Run in men's singles and third seed Jessica Pegula and ninth seed Paulo Badosa in women's singles.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wi-pacer-shamr-joseph-rape-and-sexual-assault-allegation-coach-sammy-wants-process-to-be-followed-1751442697954">WI coach Sammy wants 'process' to be followed in sexual assault allegations against player</a>&nbsp;<h2>Wimbledon 2025 : List of Top Seed Men’s Singles Players Out in Round 1</h2>Alexander Zverev (3) lost to Arthur Rinderknech 6(3)-7(7), 7(10)-6 (8), 3-6, (7(7)-6(5), 4-6Lorenzo Musetti (7) lost to Nikoloz Basilashvili 2-6, 6-4, 5-7, 1-6Holger Rune (8) lost to Nicolas Jarry 6-4, 6-4, 5-7, 3-6, 4-6Daniil Medvedev (9) lost to Benjamin Bonzi 6(2)-7(7), 6-3, 6(3)-7(7), 2-6Francisco Cerundolo (16) lost to Nuno Borges 6-4, 3-6, 6(5)-7(7), 0-6Ugo Humbert (18) lost to Gael Monflis 4-6, 6-3, 7(7)-6(5), 5-7, 2-6Alexei Popyrin (20) lost to Arthur Fery 4-6, 1-6, 6-4, 4-6Stefanos Tsitsipas (24) lost to Valentin Royer 3-6, 2-6 (walkover)<h2> Wimbledon 2025 : List of Top Seed Women’s Singles Players Out in Round 1</h2>Coco Gauff (2) lost to Dayana Yastremska 7(7)-6(3), 6-1Jessica Pegula (3) lost to Elisabetta Cocciaretto 2-6, 3-6Qinwen Zheng (5) lost to Katerina Siniakova 5-7, 6-4, 1-6Paula Badosa (9) lost to Katie Boulter 2-6, 6-3, 4-6Karolína Muchova (15) lost to Wang Xinyu 5-7, 2-6Jalena Ostapenko (20) lost to Sonay Kartal 5-7, 6-2, 2-6Magdalena Frech (25) lost to Victoria Mboko 3-6, 2-6&nbsp;

Wimbledon 2025: Among the top players who have been crashed out are number three seed Alexandre Zverev, ninth seed Daniil Medvedev and eighth seed Holger Run - all in men's singles and number two seed Coco Gauff, third seed Jessica Pegula and ninth seed Paulo Badosa - all in women's singles.

Wimbledon 2025 is turning out be a Championship of upsets with as many as 23 seeded players already out of the tournament after just first round of matches in men's and women's singles. The long list is led by men's number three seed Alexander Zverev in men's singles and number two seed Coco Gauff in women's singles. Among 23 players crashed out, seven men's players were seeded 20 or higher while six women's players got the same result. The other top players who have been crashed out are ninth seed Daniil Medvedev and eighth seed Holger Run in men's singles and third seed Jessica Pegula and ninth seed Paulo Badosa in women's singles. Also Read - WI coach Sammy wants 'process' to be followed in sexual assault allegations against player Wimbledon 2025 : List of Top Seed Men’s Singles Players Out in Round 1 Alexander Zverev (3) lost to Arthur Rinderknech 6(3)-7(7), 7(10)-6 (8), 3-6, (7(7)-6(5), 4-6 Lorenzo Musetti (7) lost to Nikoloz Basilashvili 2-6, 6-4, 5-7, 1-6 Holger Rune (8) lost to Nicolas Jarry 6-4, 6-4, 5-7, 3-6, 4-6 Daniil Medvedev (9) lost to Benjamin Bonzi 6(2)-7(7), 6-3, 6(3)-7(7), 2-6 Francisco Cerundolo (16) lost to Nuno Borges 6-4, 3-6, 6(5)-7(7), 0-6 Ugo Humbert (18) lost to Gael Monflis 4-6, 6-3, 7(7)-6(5), 5-7, 2-6 Alexei Popyrin (20) lost to Arthur Fery 4-6, 1-6, 6-4, 4-6 Stefanos Tsitsipas (24) lost to Valentin Royer 3-6, 2-6 (walkover) Wimbledon 2025 : List of Top Seed Women’s Singles Players Out in Round 1 Coco Gauff (2) lost to Dayana Yastremska 7(7)-6(3), 6-1 Jessica Pegula (3) lost to Elisabetta Cocciaretto 2-6, 3-6 Qinwen Zheng (5) lost to Katerina Siniakova 5-7, 6-4, 1-6 Paula Badosa (9) lost to Katie Boulter 2-6, 6-3, 4-6 Karolína Muchova (15) lost to Wang Xinyu 5-7, 2-6 Jalena Ostapenko (20) lost to Sonay Kartal 5-7, 6-2, 2-6 Magdalena Frech (25) lost to Victoria Mboko 3-6, 2-6

Wimbledon 2025: Among the top players who have been crashed out are number three seed Alexandre Zverev, ninth seed Daniil Medvedev and eighth seed Holger Run - all in men's singles and number two seed Coco Gauff, third seed Jessica Pegula and ninth seed Paulo Badosa - all in women's singles.

Wimbledon 2025: 23 top seeded players crash out in first round | Zverev, Gauff top exits - Check full list

Carlos Alcaraz took his Roland Garros title defence all the way as he booked his spot in the final after eighth seed Lorenzo Musetti retired injured in the fourth set of their semi-final on Friday.&nbsp;The Spaniard led 4-6, 7-6 (7/3), 6-0, 2-0 after two hours and 25 minutes of play under the roof on Court Philippe Chatrier when Musetti quit with a thigh issue.&nbsp;Second seed Alcaraz will defend his crown on Sunday against either world number one Jannik Sinner or 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic, who meet later on Friday.&nbsp;"It's been three intense weeks, and now I have one step to make," he said. "I'll give everything on Sunday, I've been playing great tennis this tournament."&nbsp;He now leads 23-year-old Musetti 6-1 in their head-to-head series, winning all three of their clay-court battles this season after victories in the final at Monte Carlo and semi-finals of the Italian Open.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tennis-french-open-2025-aryna-sabalenka-coco-gauff-final-when-and-where-to-watch-details-inside-1749202091610">French Open 2025: Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff Final: When and where to watch. Details inside</a>&nbsp;The 22-year-old is now into his second French Open showpiece match, and fifth major final overall.&nbsp;Just as in the Monte Carlo final in April, it was the Tuscan who clinched the first set in the latest edition of the budding Alcaraz-Musetti rivalry.&nbsp;Both players battled through an even opener that offered up occasional sparks of brilliance, but every time a sniff of a break opportunity appeared, the server upped his game to nullify it.&nbsp;Musetti eventually pounced at 5-4, drawing first blood in Alcaraz's fifth service game by concluding a brutal baseline rally with a hammered crosscourt forehand winner.&nbsp;He then secured three set points when Alcaraz dragged a shot long, before the Spaniard dumped a forehand into the tramlines to give Musetti the lead.&nbsp;The Italian began the second set with a trademark sweeping backhand down the line on the very first point as his confidence grew.&nbsp;Four-time Grand Slam champion Alcaraz roared back to break Musetti to love in the third game, sealing it with a perfectly-weighted backhand drop-shot.&nbsp;However, Musetti immediately riposted to level the set at 2-2.&nbsp;Alcaraz produced two break points five games later, but Musetti held his nerve to wipe both out before celebrating the crucial hold with a double fist pump towards his box.&nbsp;The Monte Carlo and Rome champion did manage to get the break he needed on Musetti's next service game, but again the world number seven frustrated him by immediately hitting back to force a tie-break.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

Reigning French Open champion Alcaraz marches into final as Musetti retires

Carlos Alcaraz took his Roland Garros title defence all the way as he booked his spot in the final after eighth seed Lorenzo Musetti retired injured in the fourth set of their semi-final on Friday. The Spaniard led 4-6, 7-6 (7/3), 6-0, 2-0 after two hours and 25 minutes of play under the roof on Court Philippe Chatrier when Musetti quit with a thigh issue. Second seed Alcaraz will defend his crown on Sunday against either world number one Jannik Sinner or 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic, who meet later on Friday. "It's been three intense weeks, and now I have one step to make," he said. "I'll give everything on Sunday, I've been playing great tennis this tournament." He now leads 23-year-old Musetti 6-1 in their head-to-head series, winning all three of their clay-court battles this season after victories in the final at Monte Carlo and semi-finals of the Italian Open. Also read | French Open 2025: Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff Final: When and where to watch. Details inside The 22-year-old is now into his second French Open showpiece match, and fifth major final overall. Just as in the Monte Carlo final in April, it was the Tuscan who clinched the first set in the latest edition of the budding Alcaraz-Musetti rivalry. Both players battled through an even opener that offered up occasional sparks of brilliance, but every time a sniff of a break opportunity appeared, the server upped his game to nullify it. Musetti eventually pounced at 5-4, drawing first blood in Alcaraz's fifth service game by concluding a brutal baseline rally with a hammered crosscourt forehand winner. He then secured three set points when Alcaraz dragged a shot long, before the Spaniard dumped a forehand into the tramlines to give Musetti the lead. The Italian began the second set with a trademark sweeping backhand down the line on the very first point as his confidence grew. Four-time Grand Slam champion Alcaraz roared back to break Musetti to love in the third game, sealing it with a perfectly-weighted backhand drop-shot. However, Musetti immediately riposted to level the set at 2-2. Alcaraz produced two break points five games later, but Musetti held his nerve to wipe both out before celebrating the crucial hold with a double fist pump towards his box. The Monte Carlo and Rome champion did manage to get the break he needed on Musetti's next service game, but again the world number seven frustrated him by immediately hitting back to force a tie-break. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

The Spaniard led 4-6, 7-6 (7/3), 6-0, 2-0 after two hours and 25 minutes of play under the roof on Court Philippe Chatrier when Musetti quit with a thigh issue.

Seven-times champion Novak Djokovic produced some of his best tennis to outclass Italian 25th seed Lorenzo Musetti 6-4 7-6(2) 6-4 on Friday and reach a 10th Wimbledon final, where he will meet holder Carlos Alcaraz in a mouth-watering 2023 rematch.

Sunday's blockbuster meeting will be the first time that the same pair will compete for the gilded Challenge Cup in back-to-back years since the Serbian and his and great rival Roger Federer faced off in 2014-15.

"Wimbledon has been a childhood dream to play and to win... I was a seven-year-old boy watching bombs fly over my head and dreaming of being on the most important court in the world," Djokovic told the Centre Court crowd.

"I was constructing Wimbledon trophies out of any material in the room. It's been an incredible journey. I try not to take it for granted every time I find myself on this unique court.

"Obviously during the match it's business time and... I try outplay my opponent. I'm satisfied and pleased, but I don't want to stop here. Hopefully I get my hands on the trophy."

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tennis/news-carlos-alcaraz-moves-step-closer-to-defending-wimbledon-crown-after-edging-daniil-medvedev-in-semis-740326">Carlos Alcaraz moves step closer to defending Wimbledon crown after beating Daniil Medvedev in semis</a>

With the arena still filling up following Alcaraz's 6-7(1) 6-3 6-4 6-4 win over fifth seed Daniil Medvedev a short while earlier, second seed Djokovic broke after a breathtaking 26-shot rally in the sixth game of the opening set.

The 37-year-old had angrily lashed out at Centre Court fans after his fourth-round victory over Holger Rune but he raised his arms and demanded more from the crowd on Friday, drawing some boos from them.

Fans got behind Musetti, who was spurred into action as he broke back to make it 4-5 with a fiery forehand but the 22-year-old gifted the set to his opponent after a shaky service game.

Musetti quickly made amends and inroads in the second set, producing a stunning backhand pass for a 3-1 lead, but Djokovic was unperturbed as he clawed his way back and raised his level significantly at the end to clinch the tiebreak.

With a sixth straight All England Club final and his first of an unusually patchy season within sight, the 24-times Grand Slam champion pounced for a break in the opening game of the third set with a backhand crosscourt winner.

Djokovic mixed up his game by serving and volleying to leave Musetti on the ropes, before staving off a late comeback attempt from the Italian to save a break point and prevail on his fourth match point when the Italian sent a shot long.

He celebrated the win with his now-familiar act of imitating playing the violin with his racket, a nod to his daughter in the stands who is learning to play the instrument, but he drew more boos from the fans.

Djokovic will not mind being the pantomime villain if he can win a men's record-equalling eighth Wimbledon trophy, especially since his participation had been in doubt after he had to undergo knee surgery just five weeks ago.

"I came to London eight days before the tournament started. I didn't know (if I would play). I was keeping everything open until the day of the draw," Djokovic said.

"I played a couple of practice sets with top players and that proved to me I was in good enough state to not just be in Wimbledon, but to go deep into the tournament.

"That kind of mentality is there and is ever present. Thanks to the team members for helping me."

Musetti, who had dragged Djokovic to five sets in the latest ever finish at Roland Garros last month, was left to rue another defeat and another lost opportunity to pull off a major upset.

"This was the seventh time that we were playing against each other and I've never faced a Nole like this," Musetti said.

"I was really impressed... I think his tennis really fits well on this surface. Especially how he returns. I have to say today was really a joke at the end how he was returning.

"Also, in important points he was playing, especially in the second set, like at the end, I had chances to break him, but he was serving really well. He deserved to win."

Seven-times champion Novak Djokovic produced some of his best tennis to outclass Italian 25th seed Lorenzo Musetti 6-4 7-6(2) 6-4 on Friday and reach a 10th Wimbledon final, where he will meet holder Carlos Alcaraz in a mouth-watering 2023 rematch.

Seven-times champion Novak Djokovic produced some of his best tennis to outclass Italian 25th seed Lorenzo Musetti 6-4 7-6(2) 6-4 on Friday and reach a 10th Wimbledon final, where he will meet holder Carlos Alcaraz in a mouth-watering 2023 rematch. Sunday's blockbuster meeting will be the first time that the same pair will compete for the gilded Challenge Cup in back-to-back years since the Serbian and his and great rival Roger Federer faced off in 2014-15. "Wimbledon has been a childhood dream to play and to win... I was a seven-year-old boy watching bombs fly over my head and dreaming of being on the most important court in the world," Djokovic told the Centre Court crowd. "I was constructing Wimbledon trophies out of any material in the room. It's been an incredible journey. I try not to take it for granted every time I find myself on this unique court. "Obviously during the match it's business time and... I try outplay my opponent. I'm satisfied and pleased, but I don't want to stop here. Hopefully I get my hands on the trophy." ALSO READ: Carlos Alcaraz moves step closer to defending Wimbledon crown after beating Daniil Medvedev in semis With the arena still filling up following Alcaraz's 6-7(1) 6-3 6-4 6-4 win over fifth seed Daniil Medvedev a short while earlier, second seed Djokovic broke after a breathtaking 26-shot rally in the sixth game of the opening set. The 37-year-old had angrily lashed out at Centre Court fans after his fourth-round victory over Holger Rune but he raised his arms and demanded more from the crowd on Friday, drawing some boos from them. Fans got behind Musetti, who was spurred into action as he broke back to make it 4-5 with a fiery forehand but the 22-year-old gifted the set to his opponent after a shaky service game. Musetti quickly made amends and inroads in the second set, producing a stunning backhand pass for a 3-1 lead, but Djokovic was unperturbed as he clawed his way back and raised his level significantly at the end to clinch the tiebreak. With a sixth straight All England Club final and his first of an unusually patchy season within sight, the 24-times Grand Slam champion pounced for a break in the opening game of the third set with a backhand crosscourt winner. Djokovic mixed up his game by serving and volleying to leave Musetti on the ropes, before staving off a late comeback attempt from the Italian to save a break point and prevail on his fourth match point when the Italian sent a shot long. He celebrated the win with his now-familiar act of imitating playing the violin with his racket, a nod to his daughter in the stands who is learning to play the instrument, but he drew more boos from the fans. Djokovic will not mind being the pantomime villain if he can win a men's record-equalling eighth Wimbledon trophy, especially since his participation had been in doubt after he had to undergo knee surgery just five weeks ago. "I came to London eight days before the tournament started. I didn't know (if I would play). I was keeping everything open until the day of the draw," Djokovic said. "I played a couple of practice sets with top players and that proved to me I was in good enough state to not just be in Wimbledon, but to go deep into the tournament. "That kind of mentality is there and is ever present. Thanks to the team members for helping me." Musetti, who had dragged Djokovic to five sets in the latest ever finish at Roland Garros last month, was left to rue another defeat and another lost opportunity to pull off a major upset. "This was the seventh time that we were playing against each other and I've never faced a Nole like this," Musetti said. "I was really impressed... I think his tennis really fits well on this surface. Especially how he returns. I have to say today was really a joke at the end how he was returning. "Also, in important points he was playing, especially in the second set, like at the end, I had chances to break him, but he was serving really well. He deserved to win."

Novak Djokovic ease past Lorenzo Musetti to setup Wimbledon Final repeat against Alcaraz

Novak Djokovic's bid for a 25th Grand Slam briefly hung by a thread on a cold and damp Saturday night at Roland Garros but the Serbian battled back for a 7-5 6-7(6) 2-6 6-3 6-0 win over Lorenzo Musetti in the latest ever French Open finish.

The reigning champion showcased the iron will that has made him one of the game's greatest players to avoid defeat in a thrilling third-round contest that got underway at 10.37 p.m. local time on Saturday.

Some 4-1/2 hours later at 3.06 a.m. on Sunday morning, the fans who had huddled up under rugs as the 37-year-old orchestrated his superb fightback rose to their feet to lift the roof of the main showcourt.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/french-open-second-seed-sabalenka-advances-to-fourth-round-with-straight-set-win-over-paula-badosa-727845">French Open: Second-seed Sabalenka advances to fourth round with straight-set win over Paula Badosa</a>

"He played a fantastic match and came very close to victory," Djokovic said on court. "I was in great difficulties but thanks to your support in the fourth set, I became a different player. It was perhaps the best match I have played here."

Djokovic recovered from an early loss of serve and went toe to toe with the Italian in the draining first set before edging in front with a crucial break in the 12th game thanks to some incredible defending.

The world number one lowered his head and gasped for air following that lengthy rally, but was soon in cruise control in the second set with a spectacular drop that gave him a 3-1 lead.

Musetti, though, broke back and drew level at 4-4 before saving a set point in a high-quality tie break to level the match and

The 30th seed took his game up a few notches to break and surge ahead in the third set, before sealing it comfortably as alarm bells began to ring for a fading Djokovic.

Djokovic, who ranted about the state of the surface to the umpire, suddenly rediscovered his rhythm to wrap up the fourth before pulling away from his exhausted opponent in the decider.

"Who's going to sleep now?" Djokovic added. "It's impossible to sleep, so much adrenaline. If you're having a party, I'm coming."

Novak Djokovic's bid for a 25th Grand Slam briefly hung by a thread on a cold and damp Saturday night at Roland Garros but the Serbian battled back for a 7-5 6-7(6) 2-6 6-3 6-0 win over Lorenzo Musetti in the latest ever French Open finish.

Novak Djokovic's bid for a 25th Grand Slam briefly hung by a thread on a cold and damp Saturday night at Roland Garros but the Serbian battled back for a 7-5 6-7(6) 2-6 6-3 6-0 win over Lorenzo Musetti in the latest ever French Open finish. The reigning champion showcased the iron will that has made him one of the game's greatest players to avoid defeat in a thrilling third-round contest that got underway at 10.37 p.m. local time on Saturday. Some 4-1/2 hours later at 3.06 a.m. on Sunday morning, the fans who had huddled up under rugs as the 37-year-old orchestrated his superb fightback rose to their feet to lift the roof of the main showcourt. ALSO READ: French Open: Second-seed Sabalenka advances to fourth round with straight-set win over Paula Badosa "He played a fantastic match and came very close to victory," Djokovic said on court. "I was in great difficulties but thanks to your support in the fourth set, I became a different player. It was perhaps the best match I have played here." Djokovic recovered from an early loss of serve and went toe to toe with the Italian in the draining first set before edging in front with a crucial break in the 12th game thanks to some incredible defending. The world number one lowered his head and gasped for air following that lengthy rally, but was soon in cruise control in the second set with a spectacular drop that gave him a 3-1 lead. Musetti, though, broke back and drew level at 4-4 before saving a set point in a high-quality tie break to level the match and The 30th seed took his game up a few notches to break and surge ahead in the third set, before sealing it comfortably as alarm bells began to ring for a fading Djokovic. Djokovic, who ranted about the state of the surface to the umpire, suddenly rediscovered his rhythm to wrap up the fourth before pulling away from his exhausted opponent in the decider. "Who's going to sleep now?" Djokovic added. "It's impossible to sleep, so much adrenaline. If you're having a party, I'm coming."

French Open: Novak Djokovic escapes exit scare to beat Lorenzo Musetti in marathon clash

Defending champion Lorenzo Musetti cruised to a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Sweden's Elias Ymer in the first round of the Hamburg European Open in Germany. The third-seeded Musetti converted five of six break points while knocking off Ymer. Musetti won 26 of 34 (76.5 per cent) of his first-serve points.

Fourth-seeded Alexander Zverev of Germany rolled to a 6-3, 6-0 victory over Slovakia's Alex Molcan, while Germany's Yannick Hanfmann posted a 4-6, 6-2, 4-2 win when fifth-seeded Francisco Cerundolo of Argentina retired. No. 7 seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina of Spain and No. 8 Miomir Kecmanovic of Serbia also prevailed.

Others winning first-round matches were Chile's Cristian Garin, France's Arthur Fils, Germany's Maximilian Marterer, Slovakia's Jozef Kovalik and China's Zhizhen Zhang.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nba-jaylen-brown-celtics-agree-record-304-million-deal-reports-619461">NBA: Jaylen Brown, Celtics agree record $304 million deal - reports</a>

<h2>Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</h2>

Zsombor Piros recorded a solid 6-3, 6-4 victory over fifth-seeded Christopher O'Connell in the first round at Umag on a day in which only two matches were completed due to rain.

Piros, from Hungary, won 30 of 39 (76.9 per cent) of his first-serve points while upsetting the Australian. Piros saved all four of his break points. Seventh-seeded Italian Matteo Arnaldi registered a 6-3, 6-2 victory over qualifier Jesper de Jong of the Netherlands. Arnaldi also won 76.9 per cent (20 of 26) of his first-serve points.

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Defending champion Lorenzo Musetti cruised to a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Sweden's Elias Ymer in the first round of the Hamburg European Open in Germany. The third-seeded Musetti converted five of six break points while knocking off Ymer.

Defending champion Lorenzo Musetti cruised to a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Sweden's Elias Ymer in the first round of the Hamburg European Open in Germany. The third-seeded Musetti converted five of six break points while knocking off Ymer. Musetti won 26 of 34 (76.5 per cent) of his first-serve points. Fourth-seeded Alexander Zverev of Germany rolled to a 6-3, 6-0 victory over Slovakia's Alex Molcan, while Germany's Yannick Hanfmann posted a 4-6, 6-2, 4-2 win when fifth-seeded Francisco Cerundolo of Argentina retired. No. 7 seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina of Spain and No. 8 Miomir Kecmanovic of Serbia also prevailed. Others winning first-round matches were Chile's Cristian Garin, France's Arthur Fils, Germany's Maximilian Marterer, Slovakia's Jozef Kovalik and China's Zhizhen Zhang. Also read: NBA: Jaylen Brown, Celtics agree record $304 million deal - reports Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag Zsombor Piros recorded a solid 6-3, 6-4 victory over fifth-seeded Christopher O'Connell in the first round at Umag on a day in which only two matches were completed due to rain. Piros, from Hungary, won 30 of 39 (76.9 per cent) of his first-serve points while upsetting the Australian. Piros saved all four of his break points. Seventh-seeded Italian Matteo Arnaldi registered a 6-3, 6-2 victory over qualifier Jesper de Jong of the Netherlands. Arnaldi also won 76.9 per cent (20 of 26) of his first-serve points. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Tennis: ATP Roundup - Defending champion Lorenzo Musetti wins first-round match at Hamburg

Novak Djokovic was knocked out in the last 16 of the Monte Carlo Masters by Lorenzo Musetti in three sets on Thursday after the world number one struggled badly on serve.

Djokovic, a two-time winner in the Principality in 2013 and 2015, was broken eight times before going down 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 to the 21st-ranked Musetti on a wet and chilly day on the Cote d'Azur.

"(The) feeling is terrible after playing like this, honestly. But congrats to him. He stayed tough in important moments, and that's it," said Djokovic.

The Serb led by a set and a break against Musetti, but the Italian youngster fought back in a scrappy second set and then prevailed in the decider after rain interrupted the match for an hour.

Musetti advances to a quarter-final meeting with compatriot Jannik Sinner, who saved a match point before beating Poland's Hubert Hurkacz 3-6, 7-6 (8/6), 6-1.

Djokovic, the big favourite in the absence of Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz, surged 5-2 ahead in the opening set. He dropped serve as he tried to close it out before breaking Musetti for a third time.

The top seed again looked in control at 4-2 in the second but was broken easily in a game that started with Djokovic justifiably unhappy over a line call that went against him.

Musetti won the next three games, successfully serving for the second set at the second attempt after blowing his chance while leading 5-4.

A rain shower early in the deciding set forced play to be suspended, with Musetti landing the decisive break to go 5-3 up and eventually sealing victory on his fourth match point.

"I am struggling not to cry because it is a dream for me," said Musetti, who led Djokovic by two sets at Roland Garros in 2021 before having to retire.

"Beating Novak is something remarkable for me."

Djokovic, holder of a record 38 Masters titles, has not gone beyond the last eight in Monte Carlo since 2015.

"I don't think it's catastrophic, but my feeling is bad right now because I lost the match. That's all," said Djokovic.

"It's not a great day for me, so I'm not really in the mood to speak."

<h2>Ruud awakening</h2>

French Open finalist Casper Ruud also bowed out after suffering a 6-1, 7-6 (8/6) defeat to German Jan-Lennard Struff, who has beaten the Norwegian on all three occasions they have met.

The 100th-ranked Struff -- who came through the qualifiers -- will play Andrey Rublev in the quarter-finals after the Russian beat his compatriot Karen Khachanov 7-6 (7/4), 6-2.

Ruud was on a run of nine successive victories on clay -- having won in Gstaad last July and then Estoril on Sunday -- but he looked out of sorts in Monaco.

The world number four, who also reached the US Open final last year, saved two match points and fought back from 5-2 down to lead 6-5 in the second set only for Struff to level.

The German then took a hard-fought tie-break when Ruud sent a return out.

The in-form Daniil Medvedev saved two match points in a final-set tie-break to outlast Alexander Zverev 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (9/7) under the lights.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2023-r-ashwin-fined-25-percent-of-match-fees-after-rrs-narrow-win-over-csk-heres-why-582153">IPL 2023: R Ashwin fined 25% of match fees after RR's narrow win over CSK! Here's why</a>

Zverev served for the match in the second set and again in the third before Medvedev once more wriggled out of trouble in the tie-break to record his 26th win in 27 matches.

"If he'd been right mentally he could have finished the match twice," said Medvedev.

His next opponent is Denmark's ninth-ranked Holger Rune, who moved into the last eight after Matteo Berrettini withdrew due to a muscular problem the Italian suffered during his previous match.

Two-time defending champion Stefanos Tsitsipas breezed through his third-round match, the Greek swatting aside Chile's Nicolas Jarry 6-3, 6-4.

Tsitsipas goes on to face Taylor Fritz after the American eighth seed defeated Jiri Lehecka of the Czech Republic in three sets.

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Novak Djokovic was knocked out in the last 16 of the Monte Carlo Masters by Lorenzo Musetti in three sets on Thursday after the world number one struggled badly on serve.

Novak Djokovic was knocked out in the last 16 of the Monte Carlo Masters by Lorenzo Musetti in three sets on Thursday after the world number one struggled badly on serve. Djokovic, a two-time winner in the Principality in 2013 and 2015, was broken eight times before going down 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 to the 21st-ranked Musetti on a wet and chilly day on the Cote d'Azur. "(The) feeling is terrible after playing like this, honestly. But congrats to him. He stayed tough in important moments, and that's it," said Djokovic. The Serb led by a set and a break against Musetti, but the Italian youngster fought back in a scrappy second set and then prevailed in the decider after rain interrupted the match for an hour. Musetti advances to a quarter-final meeting with compatriot Jannik Sinner, who saved a match point before beating Poland's Hubert Hurkacz 3-6, 7-6 (8/6), 6-1. Djokovic, the big favourite in the absence of Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz, surged 5-2 ahead in the opening set. He dropped serve as he tried to close it out before breaking Musetti for a third time. The top seed again looked in control at 4-2 in the second but was broken easily in a game that started with Djokovic justifiably unhappy over a line call that went against him. Musetti won the next three games, successfully serving for the second set at the second attempt after blowing his chance while leading 5-4. A rain shower early in the deciding set forced play to be suspended, with Musetti landing the decisive break to go 5-3 up and eventually sealing victory on his fourth match point. "I am struggling not to cry because it is a dream for me," said Musetti, who led Djokovic by two sets at Roland Garros in 2021 before having to retire. "Beating Novak is something remarkable for me." Djokovic, holder of a record 38 Masters titles, has not gone beyond the last eight in Monte Carlo since 2015. "I don't think it's catastrophic, but my feeling is bad right now because I lost the match. That's all," said Djokovic. "It's not a great day for me, so I'm not really in the mood to speak." Ruud awakening French Open finalist Casper Ruud also bowed out after suffering a 6-1, 7-6 (8/6) defeat to German Jan-Lennard Struff, who has beaten the Norwegian on all three occasions they have met. The 100th-ranked Struff -- who came through the qualifiers -- will play Andrey Rublev in the quarter-finals after the Russian beat his compatriot Karen Khachanov 7-6 (7/4), 6-2. Ruud was on a run of nine successive victories on clay -- having won in Gstaad last July and then Estoril on Sunday -- but he looked out of sorts in Monaco. The world number four, who also reached the US Open final last year, saved two match points and fought back from 5-2 down to lead 6-5 in the second set only for Struff to level. The German then took a hard-fought tie-break when Ruud sent a return out. The in-form Daniil Medvedev saved two match points in a final-set tie-break to outlast Alexander Zverev 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (9/7) under the lights. ALSO READ | IPL 2023: R Ashwin fined 25% of match fees after RR's narrow win over CSK! Here's why Zverev served for the match in the second set and again in the third before Medvedev once more wriggled out of trouble in the tie-break to record his 26th win in 27 matches. "If he'd been right mentally he could have finished the match twice," said Medvedev. His next opponent is Denmark's ninth-ranked Holger Rune, who moved into the last eight after Matteo Berrettini withdrew due to a muscular problem the Italian suffered during his previous match. Two-time defending champion Stefanos Tsitsipas breezed through his third-round match, the Greek swatting aside Chile's Nicolas Jarry 6-3, 6-4. Tsitsipas goes on to face Taylor Fritz after the American eighth seed defeated Jiri Lehecka of the Czech Republic in three sets. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Monte Carlo Masters: World No 1 Novak Djokovic crashes out against Lorenzo Musetti in three-set thriller

Italian youngster Lorenzo Musetti downed third seed Casper Ruud in three sets on Thursday to reach the Paris Masters quarter-finals. The 20-year-old, at a career-high ranking of 23rd, came from behind to beat the Norwegian Ruud 4-6, 6-4, 6-4. Musetti will face either reigning champion Novak Djokovic or Russian Karen Khachanov in his maiden Masters quarter-final. Ruud has struggled since losing the US Open final to Carlos Alcaraz -- having also been the French Open runner-up earlier this year -- winning just two of his last six matches.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/novak-djokovic-vs-karen-khachanov-live-streaming-when-and-where-to-watch-paris-masters-round-3-match-530852">Novak Djokovic vs Karen Khachanov, Live streaming: When and where to watch Paris Masters' Round 3 match?</a>

The 23-year-old took the opening set with a single break in the 10th game but then had no answer as his opponent battled back. Musetti, who has lifted two ATP titles this year, broke serve three times across the next two sets to continue his rise with his best performance to date at a Masters event. Djokovic faces Khachanov later on Thursday, with the in-form Felix Auger-Aliassime and Stefanos Tsitsipas also in last-16 action.

Italian youngster Lorenzo Musetti downed third seed Casper Ruud in three sets on Thursday to reach the Paris Masters quarter-finals. The 20-year-old, at a career-high ranking of 23rd, came from behind to beat the Norwegian Ruud 4-6, 6-4, 6-4.

Italian youngster Lorenzo Musetti downed third seed Casper Ruud in three sets on Thursday to reach the Paris Masters quarter-finals. The 20-year-old, at a career-high ranking of 23rd, came from behind to beat the Norwegian Ruud 4-6, 6-4, 6-4. Musetti will face either reigning champion Novak Djokovic or Russian Karen Khachanov in his maiden Masters quarter-final. Ruud has struggled since losing the US Open final to Carlos Alcaraz -- having also been the French Open runner-up earlier this year -- winning just two of his last six matches. ALSO READ | Novak Djokovic vs Karen Khachanov, Live streaming: When and where to watch Paris Masters' Round 3 match? The 23-year-old took the opening set with a single break in the 10th game but then had no answer as his opponent battled back. Musetti, who has lifted two ATP titles this year, broke serve three times across the next two sets to continue his rise with his best performance to date at a Masters event. Djokovic faces Khachanov later on Thursday, with the in-form Felix Auger-Aliassime and Stefanos Tsitsipas also in last-16 action.

Paris Masters 2022: Lorenzo Musetti beats Casper Ruud to enter quarter-finals

World No. 4 Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece rallied from two sets down against Italy`s Lorenzo Musetti and advanced to the second round of the French Open with a 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 win at the Philippe-Chatrier arena. 
 
"Things don`t come easy. I refuse to give up. That`s simply how it works with me," Tsitsipas said after the match, which ended past midnight. "You never really think about getting back after being two sets to love. You just play it point after point. You just wish that your efforts will pay off on a longer scale, longer run," the Greek was quoted as saying by atptour.com. 
 
"Being in that situation... it`s a mountain that you have to climb, and I was able to climb it and regain the momentum steadily, but consistently," he added. 
 
This is the second time in less than two years that Tsitsipas has produced a great escape in the opening round in Paris. He also came back from two sets down against Jaume Munar of Spain in September 2020 in the rescheduled edition of the clay-court Grand Slam. Tsitsipas repeated the feat against Rafael Nadal at the 2021 Australian Open.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/world-no-2-daniil-medvedev-cruises-past-facundo-bagnis-to-begin-roland-garros-campaign-481828">World No. 2 Daniil Medvedev cruises past Facundo Bagnis to begin Roland Garros campaign</a>

The 20-year-old Musetti also had tournament favourite Novak Djokovic on the ropes for the second straight year at the French Open in 2021. He won two tie-breaks to take control against the Serb in the 2021 fourth round, but faded late in the match. Djokovic went on to win at Roland Garros that year. 
 
"He`s fighting. He`s a talented player that has a very nice one-handed backhand. He knows the game on clay. He has grown up playing (on) these courts," Tsitsipas opined. "He`s definitely a difficult opponent to face in any circumstance, really. 
 
"Once I really found my momentum on the serve, my routines and everything, I knew that it can be a different match," Tsitsipas said. "I felt like I was serving better than him, creating more opportunities with my serve, pressing more. It would have been kind of not fair from my perspective to have a different outcome." 
 
With the victory, Tsitsipas advances to face Czech qualifier Zdenek Kolar, who defeated France`s Lucas Pouille, 6-3, 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 earlier on Tuesday.

World No. 4 Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece rallied from two sets down against Italy`s Lorenzo Musetti and advanced to the second round of the French Open with a 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 win at the Philippe-Chatrier arena.

World No. 4 Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece rallied from two sets down against Italy`s Lorenzo Musetti and advanced to the second round of the French Open with a 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 win at the Philippe-Chatrier arena. "Things don`t come easy. I refuse to give up. That`s simply how it works with me," Tsitsipas said after the match, which ended past midnight. "You never really think about getting back after being two sets to love. You just play it point after point. You just wish that your efforts will pay off on a longer scale, longer run," the Greek was quoted as saying by atptour.com. "Being in that situation... it`s a mountain that you have to climb, and I was able to climb it and regain the momentum steadily, but consistently," he added. This is the second time in less than two years that Tsitsipas has produced a great escape in the opening round in Paris. He also came back from two sets down against Jaume Munar of Spain in September 2020 in the rescheduled edition of the clay-court Grand Slam. Tsitsipas repeated the feat against Rafael Nadal at the 2021 Australian Open. ALSO READ | World No. 2 Daniil Medvedev cruises past Facundo Bagnis to begin Roland Garros campaign The 20-year-old Musetti also had tournament favourite Novak Djokovic on the ropes for the second straight year at the French Open in 2021. He won two tie-breaks to take control against the Serb in the 2021 fourth round, but faded late in the match. Djokovic went on to win at Roland Garros that year. "He`s fighting. He`s a talented player that has a very nice one-handed backhand. He knows the game on clay. He has grown up playing (on) these courts," Tsitsipas opined. "He`s definitely a difficult opponent to face in any circumstance, really. "Once I really found my momentum on the serve, my routines and everything, I knew that it can be a different match," Tsitsipas said. "I felt like I was serving better than him, creating more opportunities with my serve, pressing more. It would have been kind of not fair from my perspective to have a different outcome." With the victory, Tsitsipas advances to face Czech qualifier Zdenek Kolar, who defeated France`s Lucas Pouille, 6-3, 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 earlier on Tuesday.

French Open: World No. 4 Stefanos Tsitsipas overcomes Italy's Lorenzo Musetti challenge to advance

World number one Novak Djokovic survived a huge scare as he fought back from two sets down against teenager Lorenzo Musetti to reach the French Open quarter-finals on Monday after his Italian opponent retired with cramps in the fifth set.

Top seed Djokovic was outplayed by an inspired Musetti as he lost two tiebreaks, but the match then changed dramatically as the Serb fought back to 6-7(7) 6-7(2) 6-1 6-0 4-0 before progressing to the last eight in Paris for the 15th time.

He will play another Italian after Matteo Berrettini was handed a walkover after Roger Federer's withdrawal.

World number 76 Musetti's stylish game was threatening to send Djokovic to his earliest Roland Garros exit since 2009.

But having produced&nbsp;tennis&nbsp;of the highest caliber in two sensational sets, Musetti blew up as the effort he had expended to eclipse Djokovic caught up with him.

The 19-year-old Musetti lost the third set in 24 minutes and did not even get a point in set four until the fifth game as the match slipped away from him.

"It's not an injury," he explained later. "It's just a little bit of cramps and a little bit of low back pain.

"There was no chance that I could win a point, so I decided to retire because I think it was the best thing."

MUSETTI QUITS

A relieved Djokovic went 4-0 ahead in the decider before Musetti quit in an anti-climactic end to what was brewing up to be a seismic shock in a tournament already full of surprises.

Djokovic said he had felt nervous before the match and even "liked" the fact that he lost the opening two sets.

"I don't know, I just played under a certain kind of tension and wasn't able to go through my shots," he told reporters.

"Just not playing and not feeling great in the first couple of sets. But credit to him for playing well in important moments. After I lost the second set and went out to change and came back, I just felt different. I was a different player."

Musetti dropped serve early on but hit back when Djokovic made a backhand error and from then on went toe-to-toe with the 18-time Grand Slam champion who appeared unsure how to counter the all-court flair of his young opponent.

Djokovic was 4-1 ahead in the first set tiebreak but Musetti unleashed two stunning single-handed backhand winners to close the gap and then carved out a set point when Djokovic dragged a forehand into the net at 5-5.

Musetti smiled ruefully when Djokovic saved that with a forehand flush onto the sideline. But the young Italian swiped away two forehand winners to take the opener.

DJOKOVIC RATTLED

A rattled Djokovic blazed a forehand wide to surrender serve early in the second set but quickly replied as Musetti's concentration wavered.

Djokovic had to dig deep to save break points at 2-3 and 3-4 and eventually took the set into a tiebreak.

A terrible misjudgment by Djokovic saw him leave an improvised lob from Musetti that landed on the baseline with the Serb bizarrely offering no shot.

When Musetti punished more Djokovic errors to move two sets ahead it seemed he was on the brink of a momentous victory.

Djokovic left the court to change clothes and when he returned, he might have suspected Musetti had been replaced by a look-alike. He broke serve straight away and suddenly the Italian looked lost, making basic errors and appearing sluggish.

Djokovic needed no second invitation to take advantage and lost only 14 points in leveling the match in a flash -- the third and fourth sets lasted 46 minutes in total compared with the 75 minutes it took Musetti to win the superb opener.

After that, there was no way back for teenager Musetti as the 34-year-old Djokovic overturned a two-set deficit for only the fifth time in his career.

"It's unfortunate for a young player like him," Djokovic said. "He was unable to physically sustain the level."

World number one Novak Djokovic survived a huge scare as he fought back from two sets down against teenager Lorenzo Musetti to reach the French Open quarter-finals on Monday after his Italian opponent retired with cramps in the fifth set.

World number one Novak Djokovic survived a huge scare as he fought back from two sets down against teenager Lorenzo Musetti to reach the French Open quarter-finals on Monday after his Italian opponent retired with cramps in the fifth set. Top seed Djokovic was outplayed by an inspired Musetti as he lost two tiebreaks, but the match then changed dramatically as the Serb fought back to 6-7(7) 6-7(2) 6-1 6-0 4-0 before progressing to the last eight in Paris for the 15th time. He will play another Italian after Matteo Berrettini was handed a walkover after Roger Federer's withdrawal. World number 76 Musetti's stylish game was threatening to send Djokovic to his earliest Roland Garros exit since 2009. But having produced tennis of the highest caliber in two sensational sets, Musetti blew up as the effort he had expended to eclipse Djokovic caught up with him. The 19-year-old Musetti lost the third set in 24 minutes and did not even get a point in set four until the fifth game as the match slipped away from him. "It's not an injury," he explained later. "It's just a little bit of cramps and a little bit of low back pain. "There was no chance that I could win a point, so I decided to retire because I think it was the best thing." MUSETTI QUITS A relieved Djokovic went 4-0 ahead in the decider before Musetti quit in an anti-climactic end to what was brewing up to be a seismic shock in a tournament already full of surprises. Djokovic said he had felt nervous before the match and even "liked" the fact that he lost the opening two sets. "I don't know, I just played under a certain kind of tension and wasn't able to go through my shots," he told reporters. "Just not playing and not feeling great in the first couple of sets. But credit to him for playing well in important moments. After I lost the second set and went out to change and came back, I just felt different. I was a different player." Musetti dropped serve early on but hit back when Djokovic made a backhand error and from then on went toe-to-toe with the 18-time Grand Slam champion who appeared unsure how to counter the all-court flair of his young opponent. Djokovic was 4-1 ahead in the first set tiebreak but Musetti unleashed two stunning single-handed backhand winners to close the gap and then carved out a set point when Djokovic dragged a forehand into the net at 5-5. Musetti smiled ruefully when Djokovic saved that with a forehand flush onto the sideline. But the young Italian swiped away two forehand winners to take the opener. DJOKOVIC RATTLED A rattled Djokovic blazed a forehand wide to surrender serve early in the second set but quickly replied as Musetti's concentration wavered. Djokovic had to dig deep to save break points at 2-3 and 3-4 and eventually took the set into a tiebreak. A terrible misjudgment by Djokovic saw him leave an improvised lob from Musetti that landed on the baseline with the Serb bizarrely offering no shot. When Musetti punished more Djokovic errors to move two sets ahead it seemed he was on the brink of a momentous victory. Djokovic left the court to change clothes and when he returned, he might have suspected Musetti had been replaced by a look-alike. He broke serve straight away and suddenly the Italian looked lost, making basic errors and appearing sluggish. Djokovic needed no second invitation to take advantage and lost only 14 points in leveling the match in a flash -- the third and fourth sets lasted 46 minutes in total compared with the 75 minutes it took Musetti to win the superb opener. After that, there was no way back for teenager Musetti as the 34-year-old Djokovic overturned a two-set deficit for only the fifth time in his career. "It's unfortunate for a young player like him," Djokovic said. "He was unable to physically sustain the level."

French Open: Novak Djokovic through after huge scare as Lorenzo Musetti retires

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