Novak Djokovic secured his place in the men’s semifinals at the Australian Open in Melbourne after an extraordinary quarterfinal ended prematurely when Lorenzo Musetti retired with a right-leg injury.

Musetti had been leading by two sets and a break before being forced to stop, allowing Djokovic to progress despite physical difficulties of his own, including a painful blister on his foot.

The Serbian described himself as “lucky” after the match, acknowledging that the momentum had firmly been against him before the retirement.

The result marked Djokovic’s one hundred and third match victory at Melbourne Park, setting a new all-time record at the tournament and underlining his enduring dominance on the Australian Open’s hard courts.

While expressing sympathy for Musetti, Djokovic also emphasized the resilience required to remain mentally engaged in unpredictable circumstances, noting that such moments are part of elite-level sport.

Djokovic will now face Jannik Sinner in the semifinal, setting up a high-profile clash against the Italian who has established himself as the tournament’s standard-bearer in recent years.

Sinner, the two-time defending champion, advanced with a composed straight-sets victory over Ben Shelton, extending his impressive winning streak in Melbourne and reinforcing his status as one of the game’s most formidable hard-court players.

Sinner enters the semifinal with a strong recent record against Djokovic, having won their last several meetings.

Nevertheless, Djokovic’s experience, record-setting achievements, and pursuit of a historic twenty-fifth Grand Slam singles title ensure the encounter will carry major significance, as the Australian Open once again reaches its decisive stages with the sport’s leading figures still in contention.