Novak Djokovic is now just three wins away from claiming a 25th Grand Slam title after advancing to the quarterfinals of the Australian Open via a walkover, following Jakub Mensik’s withdrawal.
Djokovic was set to face Mensik in the fourth round at Melbourne Park, but the Czech star pulled out of the tournament, citing an abdominal injury.
The Serb will play Lorenzo Musetti next, with the Italian booking his place in the last eight after defeating ninth seed Taylor Fritz in straight sets.
How far do you think Novak Djokovic will go at the Australian Open?
Should he advance past Musetti, Djokovic is likely to meet defending champion Jannik Sinner in the semifinals, whom he has not beaten since 2023.
Though the 38-year-old has been granted an extra day of rest in preparation for his potential showdown with Sinner, the world number two suggested that may actually hinder his chances of going all the way Down Under.
Jannik Sinner comments on collision course with Novak Djokovic
When asked how much of an advantage Djokovic now has with the walkover, Sinner responded: “I don’t know. I’m in [the] quarterfinals now.
“I have a very tough match the next one, as Novak has. There are positives and negatives. In this sport it can happen.
“He always had quite fast matches also. At times, it can also break a little bit the rhythm. In the same time it can give you a bit more energy than the opponent. It depends.
“I think nothing really changed. I’ll watch on my side. I have a tough match in front of my eyes, which is a very tough quarterfinals if it’s Casper or Ben.
“I’ll focus on that. If I’m in semis, I’m very happy. If not, it was a great Grand Slam for me.”
Novak Djokovic’s head-to-head record against Lorenzo Musetti
Regardless of whether the walkover helps Djokovic, the 24-time major champion will be confident heading into the bout with Musetti, considering his dominant record against him.
Djokovic leads the head-to-head with Musetti 9-1, with his sole loss coming on the clay courts of the Monte-Carlo Masters in 2023.
The Australian Open is the best Grand Slam… discuss!
There, Musetti came back from a set down to triumph 4-6, 7-5, 6-4.
Their last meeting was in the Athens final last year, where Djokovic won to claim the 101st title of his career.
At Grand Slams, Djokovic leads 3-0, but they have not yet clashed at a hard-court major.
Receive exclusive tennis news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
