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Musetti Advances as Collignon Retires Injured in Grueling Aus Open Marathon

Lorenzo Musetti advanced to the second round of the Australian Open after his opponent, Raphael Collignon, retired due to injury during the fourth set. The match was a demanding three-hour contest where Musetti fought back after dropping the first set. Collignon, who has a history of physical issues in long matches, showed clear distress and received medical treatment before retiring. Musetti will now face his compatriot Lorenzo Sonego in the next round.

Key Points: Lorenzo Musetti Advances After Raphael Collignon Retires Injured

  • Collignon retired with injury at 3-2 in fourth set
  • Match was a grueling three-hour marathon
  • Musetti made his Grand Slam debut
  • He recently achieved a career-high No. 5 ranking
  • Next faces Italian rival Lorenzo Sonego
2 min read

Aus Open: Musetti receives first-round walkover after Collignon retires with injury

Italian star Lorenzo Musetti reaches the Australian Open second round after opponent Raphael Collignon retires hurt in a three-hour match.

"Musetti asked the crowd to give a standing ovation to Collignon as he walked off the court, exhausted."

Melbourne, Jan 20

World no. 5 Lorenzo Musetti of Italy advanced to the second round after his Belgian opponent Raphael Collignon retired due to injury.

The match was a gruelling three-hour marathon, with Musetti leading 4-6, 7-6(3), 7-5, 3-2 when Collignon had to stop.

The match marked Musetti's Grand Slam debut, shortly after he attained his career-high ranking of No. 5 on January 12, 2026, following his final appearance in Hong Kong. He is only the third Italian man in history to reach this ranking milestone.

The Italian's start to the first Grand Slam of the season was shaky as he handed an early advantage to Collignon, who clinched the first set 6-4. The fifth seed missed a break point early in the set and couldn't recover against his Belgian opponent, leading to a poor start to his tournament.

However, after being pushed to the brink by the World No. 72, the Italian battled through a fierce tie-break in the second set and ultimately won it 7-6, (7-3).

Musetti appeared well on his way to advancing to the second round, leaving Collignon to require something exceptional to turn the match around.

Just when Musetti seemed the favourite to advance, holding a lead in the fourth set with the score at 4-6, 7-6 (7-3), 7-5, 3-2, Collignon retired hurt, granting his Italian opponent a walkover.

Musetti asked the crowd to give a standing ovation to Collignon as he walked off the court, exhausted.

The World No. 72 showed clear signs of physical distress in the third set and was forced to retire despite receiving on-court medical treatment. Collignon has a track record of physical issues in demanding matches, most notably severe cramping during a Davis Cup victory over de Minaur in late 2025.

Musetti now advances to face Italian rival Lorenzo Sonego in the second round.

Sonego, who beat Musetti at the Paris Masters in late 2025, won his latest match in four sets earlier in the day.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

S
Shreya B
Musetti's ranking is so impressive! World No. 5 and only the third Italian man to do it. But his start was shaky, no? He needs to be more consistent if he wants to go deep. The all-Italian clash with Sonego next will be fire! 🔥
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David E
Watching from the UK. The physicality of the modern game is insane. Collignon has a history of these issues, it seems. At this level, fitness is as important as skill. A walkover is never the way you want to win, but Musetti earned his lead.
A
Ananya R
Feel so bad for Collignon yaar. To fight for 3 hours and then have to retire... must be heartbreaking. But kudos to Musetti for battling back after losing the first set. That's the mentality of a top-5 player.
K
Karthik V
As an Indian tennis fan, we rarely see our players in the second week of Slams. Watching these European players with such depth is inspiring. Musetti vs Sonego will be a great match. Hope it's a proper battle and not decided by injury.
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Priyanka N
The article says Collignon had severe cramping in Davis Cup too. His team needs to look at his nutrition and hydration strategy. At the professional level, these things can be managed better. Still, a brave effort from him.

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