Novak Djokovic advanced to the Australian Open quarterfinals without stepping onto the court after his fourth-round opponent, Jakub Mensik withdrew from the tournament due to injury.
The withdrawal came just 24 hours before the scheduled match with Mensik forced to pull out due to an abdominal injury.
Taking to his Instagram Stories on Sunday night, the Czech star wrote, "This is a tough one to write. After doing everything we could to keep going, I have to withdraw from the Australian Open due to an abdominal muscle injury that has progressed over the last matches."
The player continued, “After a long discussion with my team and doctors we decided not to step on court tomorrow.”
He concluded his statement with a heartfelt gratitude, “Thank you to my team for being with me every step, and to everyone sending messages and cheering – it means more than you know. Now it’s time to recover properly.”
Mensik's withdrawal comes after a series of high-profile exits including two-time champion Naomi Osaka and defending champion Jannik Sinner who have both struggled with injuries and extreme heat.
On the other hand, Djokovic who is chasing a record 25th Grand Slam singles title will now face either Italy's player Lorenzo Musetti and the United States' Taylor Fritz in the quarterfinals.
There is also a high chance that Djokovic will face Sinner in the semifinals and could potentially meet world No.1 Carlos Alcaraz in the final.
