Australian Open: how Novak Djokovic finds himself in the semi-final with the “luckiest” course in history

At this rate, even the term miracle will seem a little pale… Since the start of the Australian Open, the wheel of fortune has continued to spin for Novak Djokovic. The indestructible Serbian, 38 years old, is in the semi-final in Melbourne after a fairly incredible journey.

Two short rounds worthy of ATP 250 to start, an easy victory over a diminished Van de Zandschulp (barely avoiding disqualification on a ball furiously sent a few centimeters from the head of a ball girl), a package from Mensik in the 8th… and an incredible baraka in the quarter against Musetti this Wednesday.

The Italian with an agile game but a decidedly fragile body was in fact leading two sets to nothing (6-4, 6-3) and seemed to be heading towards his first Australian semi-final before being forced to retire, betrayed by his adductors. And so here is the former world No. 1 and ten-time tournament winner in the last four without having won a single round in the second week of a Grand Slam tournament!

“I was about to go home.”

Unheard of among men. According to the account “I never imagined leading two sets to zero against Novak, playing like that, having the advantage in the match and being forced to give up,” sighs Musetti. It’s really painful. »

The Belgrader is not fooled by what he showed for a little over two hours against the world No. 5. “Lorenzo was by far the best player and I was about to go home,” he concedes. This kind of thing can happen in sport, it happened to me several times, but to have to give up when you are leading two sets to zero in the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam tournament, while you are in total control of the match, it is really very unfortunate (…) I was extremely lucky to pass because without his injury, he probably would have won. »

Yes but there you go, Djokovic is still there. Ready to play his 54th Grand Slam semi-final. And this is ultimately no coincidence. “This match proves once again to what extent tennis is a physically demanding sport,” he explains. Sometimes emotions play a huge role. We tense up, we no longer move with the same fluidity and the risk of injury becomes high. This has happened to me several times in Grand Slams so I know exactly what it feels like. It’s horrible, especially when you feel like you’re playing very well, which was the case with him today. It’s hard to accept, but that’s tennis. »

Even if he has not won a Grand Slam since the 2023 US Open and his 24th coronation, he remains in seven semi-finals in nine Majors contested. So luck doesn’t explain everything. But he will undoubtedly still need a lot more on Friday against double title holder Jannik Sinner, who made short work of Ben Shelton (6-3, 6-4, 6-4).

The ex-tour boss, who for once simply complains of blisters, will not lack freshness, but rather rhythm and confidence in the face of a relentless metronome who has beaten him in their last five confrontations, leaving him with a total of two short sets. And what he produced against Musetti, where he often looked his age, does not necessarily encourage optimism.

“I have the opportunity to play this match. Jannik and Carlos (Alcaraz) are the two best players in the world, slipping to number 4 in the ATP. He will be the complete favorite but you never know… Today, I was not up to the level that I showed throughout this tournament. I have to play better. There is no doubt about it. I know that if I feel good, my body holds up and I play well, then I always have a chance.