He came, he saw, he very nearly conquered. Lorenzo Musetti, an Italian teenager making his main draw debut at a grand slam, produced a display of precocious magnitude to open up a two-set lead over Novak Djokovic before succumbing to a combination of injury and the enduring excellence of the world No 1. Unable to continue, Musetti withdrew from the fray with Djokovic leading 6-7 (7-9), 6-7 (2-7), 6-1, 6-0, 4-0.
For two sets, the Italian was irresistible. Djokovic had spoken beforehand of the “big challenge” posed by the 19-year-old, but not in his wildest nightmares could he have anticipated the barnstorming display that carried the world No 76 to within a set of a first major quarter-final on his main draw debut at a slam.
It would have been an upset to rank alongside Djokovic’s defeat to Italy’s Marco Cecchinato three years ago. This time, though, the Serb had a different script in mind. Few are better versed in the rhythms of five-set tennis, and Djokovic emerged from a lengthy comfort break at the end of the second set with renewed determination, reeling off 16 of the next 17 games.
It was uncharted territory for Musetti, whose body began to break down as rapidly as his game. Having summoned medical assistance at the start of the fifth set, the youngster finally gave in to the inevitable four games later.
“I like to play young guys in the best-of-five because even at two sets down, I feel I still have my chances,” said Djokovic after overturning a two-set deficit for the fifth time in his career.
“I feel physically fit, I have won most of my five-setters and that experience helps. It’s unfortunate for him to have to retire but I could see he was struggling physically.”
Djokovic was followed on to Court Philippe Chatrier by Rafael Nadal, who looked destined for a similarly protracted struggle when Jannik Sinner, another 19-year-old Italian, recovered from an early break to win four games in a row. Sinner, the 18th seed, served for the opening set but was broken to love, paving the way for the 13-time champion to complete a 7-5, 6-3, 6-0 victory.
“I was lucky that I had the chance to break back at 5-4,” said Nadal. “I think after this the match changed a lot. In the second set I started playing a great level of tennis, so I’m very happy for that.”
Djokovic, who will now face ninth seed Matteo Berrettini for a place in the semi-finals, will know that he survived a major scare. Musetti played the match of his young life, conjuring a kaleidoscopic array of winners from all corners of the court to leave the top seed looking utterly bemused at times. Had his body allowed him to continue in that vein, the outcome might have been very different.
Musetti’s talent has been an open secret on the tour since last September’s swashbuckling run to the third round of the Rome Masters, where he came through qualifying with a world ranking of 249 to beat Stan Wawrinka and Kei Nishikori. The Italian is a gifted stroke-maker with an extensive repertoire, and while his shot selection will become more purposeful with experience, there is a joyful freedom to his play that makes him a threat to anyone.
So at home was Musetti in the vast red expanse of Court Philippe Chatrier, it was easy to forget this was his first appearance on a grand slam show court. The Italian opened with a crisp backhand winner and went on to compile a first-set highlights reel that would have justified the cost of admission in its own right.
The balletic grace with which he angled away one backhand overhead was positively Federeresque, while a fading, angled drop shot that spun viciously on to the line drew a bewildered chuckle from both Djokovic and Musetti’s coach, Simone Tartarini. Yet Musetti is no mere show pony. He demonstrated his tactical nous by deploying slow, high balls to unsettle the Djokovic forehand, and showed a granite mentality in the two tiebreaks.
Djokovic, who broke to love in the third game only to be pegged back immediately, looked tense from the outset. But the complexion of the match altered dramatically when he returned to the court for the start of the third set. Suddenly, the Serb couldn’t miss. Shots that had been flying past him previously were read with ease.
“After I lost the second set and went out to change and came back, I just felt different,” said Djokovic. “I was a different player.”
It had taken Musetti two hours and 21 minutes to carve out a two-set advantage. Djokovic halved that lead in just 24 minutes. The shift in momentum, accentuated by a dramatic dip in Musetti’s play, continued into the fourth, where Djokovic broke twice to go 4-0 up without losing a single point. He wrapped up the set in just 18 minutes. With Musetti looking jaded and pained, Djokovic continued to turn the screw relentlessly before his opponent finally threw in the towel. His quest for a 19th major remains on course.
Diego Schwartzman progressed to the last eight with a 7-6 (9-7), 6-4, 7-5 victory over Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff. The Argentine, a semi-finalist last year, looked certain to lose his first set of the tournament when trailing 5-1 in the opening set, but rallied in remarkable fashion to save seven set points. He will face Nadal in the last eight in a repeat of last year’s semi-final.
“It is always a challenge to play against him,” said Nadal. “I need to play well. He is going to be confident after winning a couple of good matches here. I hope to be ready for it.”