Novak Djokovic moves into the Australian Open quarter-finals after his fourth-round opponent, Jakub Mensik, withdrew with an abdominal injury. The 20-year-old Czech had been set to face Djokovic on Monday in Melbourne but will now miss out, giving Djokovic a straight path to the last eight.
Djokovic will next play either fifth seed Lorenzo Musetti or ninth seed Taylor Fritz. With other top players struggling in the heat – including 2025 winner Jannik Sinner – Djokovic could meet Sinner in the semis and world number one Carlos Alcaraz in the final if seedings hold.
The 38-year-old Serb is chasing a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title, currently tied with Margaret Court on 24 majors. He hasn’t dropped a set so far this tournament and last won a major at the 2023 US Open. Djokovic went out in the semi-finals of all four Slams in 2025 and says he’s taking things step by step.
Mensik, who beat Djokovic in last year’s Miami Masters final, was aiming for his first fourth-round appearance at a major. He had beaten Pablo Carreno Busta, Rafael Jodar, and Ethan Quinn to reach the last 16. Mensik posted on Instagram that he had to withdraw due to an abdominal muscle injury but appreciated the support from fans and his team.
