Novak Djokovic just showed everyone why he’s still one of the classiest players in tennis, even though his quarterfinal win over Lorenzo Musetti at the 2025 Australian Open ended in the worst way possible.
Musetti was absolutely dominating. He took the first two sets 6-4, 6-3 on Rod Laver Arena, making it look pretty easy against the 10-time Australian Open champion.
At that point, it seemed like Djokovic was heading for his earliest exit from Melbourne since 2018. The Italian was just playing better tennis.
| Name | Age | Points | Stats 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Novak Djokovic | 38 | 8,360 | 18 - 6 |
But then everything changed. Musetti started feeling an injury that had been bothering him since the second set. It got worse as the match went on, and he finally had to retire when Djokovic was down 1-3 in the third set.
Nobody wants to win like that.
You could see how genuinely disappointed Djokovic felt for his younger opponent. Their embrace afterward said everything – this wasn’t how either player wanted the match to end.
It’s easy to forget just how classy Djokovic can be. Sure, he’s had his moments – like nearly getting defaulted for almost hitting a ball kid. But when it comes to fair play, he’s always been solid.
The moment that had everyone cheering
Earlier in the match, Djokovic did something that really showed his character. He was already down 4-6 and trailing 3-5 in the second set when he made an approach to the net.
Musetti hit back with a tricky slice that landed right around Djokovic’s shoelaces. The Serbian managed a drop volley, and Musetti sprinted forward to chase it down.
The Italian went for an angled cross-court passing shot. It looked like it went wide, and umpire James Keothavong called the point in Djokovic’s favor.
But then Djokovic stopped the match.
He told the umpire that the ball had actually touched his racket before going wide. The crowd immediately started applauding the 38-year-old, and Keothavong had to confirm what happened so everyone understood.
That’s the kind of sportsmanship you don’t see every day. Djokovic was already losing badly, but he still made the honest call.
It’s been part of his game for years, really. He can get fired up on court – we’ve all seen that – but when it comes to doing the right thing, he’s pretty reliable.
Now comes the real test
Djokovic gets another shot at Jannik Sinner in Friday’s semifinal. They played in this exact same round two years ago, and Sinner won in four sets before going on to capture his first Grand Slam title.
The head-to-head doesn’t look great for the Serbian legend. Sinner has beaten him in their last five meetings, including three times at Grand Slams.
Both players have had some luck getting this far, honestly.
Sinner was cramping badly in the Melbourne heat against Eliot Spizzirri before the heat rule kicked in and gave him a break. He came back looking like a completely different player and won easily.
Djokovic has been pretty honest about his situation. He admitted he would’ve lost to Musetti if the Italian hadn’t gotten hurt. The 23-year-old was outplaying him in every area before that injury struck.
At 38, beating Sinner would be one of Djokovic’s most impressive achievements. And that’s saying something for a guy who’s won pretty much everything there is to win in tennis.
The world No. 1 is younger, he’s been playing better recently, and he’s got the psychological edge from all those recent wins.
But if there’s anyone who can pull off the upset, it’s probably the guy who just showed he’s still got that champion’s heart – even when he’s losing.
