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Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti with Serbia’s Novak Djokovic after retiring from his quarter final match
38-year-old Novak Djokovic’s quest for a record-extending 25th Grand Slam title continued in dramatic circumstances at the Australian Open in Melbourne.
His quarterfinal opponent, Italian fifth seed Lorenzo Musetti, was forced to retire after taking a two-set lead.
It was a brutal scene for the 23-year-old Italian, Musetti, who had just one win in 10 meetings against Djokovic going into this match.
Musetti led 6-4, 6-3, 1-3 when he was forced to retire after he appeared to have tweaked a leg muscle.
It allowed Djokovic, who also had a walk-over in the fourth round, when his opponent, Jakub Mensik of the Czech Republic, withdrew from the tournament the day before their match, to advance to his 13th semifinal at Melbourne Park.
Meanwhile, in the Women’s quarterfinal, fifth seed Elena Rybakina booked her place in the semi-finals. She dominated second seed Iga Swiatek of Poland, beating the six-time Grand Slam champion 7-5, 6-1.
Rybakina will play American Jessica Pegula in Friday’s semifinal.
