Novak Djokovic’s hope for a 25th Major title remains alive at the 2026 Australian Open following a quarterfinal escape against Lorenzo Musetti. The Serbian was two sets down when the Italian had to retire during the match because of an injury after taking a medical timeout. Djokovic was upset over Musetti’s retirement, even stating during his on-court interview that the Italian would have sent him home had he played the entire match.
However, what upset him even more was a reporter’s claim during his post-match press conference, calling him a ‘chaser’ despite his immense success on the grandest stages.
Novak Djokovic Lashes Out at Australian Open Reporter After Reaching 13th Australian Open Semifinal
During the post-match press conference, a journalist suggested that in his younger years, he chased Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, only to find himself now chasing Sinner and Alcaraz. Before allowing the reporter to complete the question, Djokovic interrupted with a sharp rebuttal: “I’m chasing Jannik and Carlos? In which sense?”
When the journalist clarified that he meant in terms of Grand Slam titles currently, Djokovic followed with an even more pointed observation: “So I’m always the chaser and never been chased?” The reporter then acknowledged Djokovic’s 24 Grand Slam titles as if offering context, prompting Djokovic to respond with evident frustration: “Thanks, it’s worth saying that sometimes, right?”
What followed was a more passionate explanation of why he found the question objectionable. “I find it a little bit disrespectful that you kind of miss out on what happened in between, where the times when I started ‘chasing’ as you say, Rafa and Roger, and now that I’m chasing Carlos and Jannik. There’s probably about a 15-year period in between where I was dominating the Grand Slams. I think it’s important to put that in perspective.”
Djokovic then clarified his mindset moving forward. “I don’t feel like I’m chasing, to be honest. Roger and Rafa will always be my greatest rivals. I have tremendous respect for what Jannik and Carlos are doing, and they will continue to do for the next 10, 15, 20 years. This is a kind of natural cycle in sports.”
Reflecting further on the tennis narrative, he added: “You’re going to have another 2 superstars that are going to maybe have a 3rd guy that I’m going to cheer for, because I’ve always been the 3rd guy at the beginning. It’s good for our sport. I think these kinds of rivalries and the contrast of personalities and the styles of play are very good for tennis.”
Finally, he described what he is doing so late in his career right now, saying, “And how is that affecting me? I don’t feel like I’m chasing. I’m creating my own history.” Most of today’s rising stars look up to the “Big Three” as their inspiration.
With Djokovic having the most Grand Slam titles and being the only active member of the prestigious group, all the younger stars have a special place in their hearts for him, even World No. 1 and 2, Alcaraz and Sinner, respectively.
Djokovic’s Narrow Escape to Reach 5th Consecutive Grand Slam Semifinal
The Italian dominated the opening stages of the match, winning the first set 6-4 before taking the second set 6-3. He was just one set away from a stunning upset victory over the 10-time Australian Open champion. Before the third set, Musetti took a medical timeout due to a right thigh injury, but even after that, he was unable to perform at his best, handing Djokovic the victory while trailing 1-3.
With this victory, Djokovic reached his 13th semifinal at the Australian Open and claimed his 103rd match win at Melbourne Park, surpassing Roger Federer’s previous record of 102 wins at the tournament. At 38 years and 255 days, Djokovic also became the second-oldest men’s singles semifinalist in the Open Era, right behind Ken Rosewall. The victory keeps alive his bid for a record-extending 11th Australian Open title and a historic 25th Grand Slam crown overall.
The Serbian legend will now face the two-time defending champion Sinner in the semifinals on January 30, with only 24% chances of advancing to the finals. The World No. 2 beat him twice last year, both times at Major semifinals, the French Open and Wimbledon, and has won the last five matches between these two champions, entering the matchup as the clear favorite.
