Lorenzo Musetti advanced to the Wimbledon semi-finals after defeating Taylor Fritz in a thrilling five-set match, winning 3-6, 7-6(5), 6-2, 3-6, 6-1. The Italian, who had never been past the fourth round at a major tournament, showcased his resilience and skill to secure the victory.
Musetti overcame a tough first set, finding his rhythm and confidence to level the match in a tie-break in the second set. The third set saw Musetti dominate with powerful serving, while Fritz struggled to find answers. Despite a strong comeback from Fritz in the fourth set, Musetti regained control in the final set, winning five consecutive games and capitalizing on Fritz’s injury to seal the match.
Reflecting on his performance, Musetti said, “I probably have no words. It’s tough to speak but I’ll try my best. I think I didn’t realize yet what I’ve done. First of all, I want to say thanks to all the people, all the Italian crowd who’s here to support us.”
This victory makes Musetti the fourth Italian man to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals, following in the footsteps of Nicola Pietrangeli, Matteo Berrettini, and Jannik Sinner. He now faces Novak Djokovic, the seven-time Wimbledon champion, who advanced to the semi-finals by walkover after Alex de Minaur’s injury withdrawal.
Musetti acknowledged the challenge ahead, saying, “He probably knows better than me the surface and the stadium. He’s a legend, everywhere, but here in Wimbledon in the last years, he made something really unthinkable for anyone. I’ve had the chance to play against him a lot of times so we know each other pretty well. It’s always been a huge fight, so I expect a big, big fight. I think it’s gonna be one of the toughest challenges on tour, but I’m an ambitious guy and I like to be challenged. I’ll try to put my 100 percent effort and we’ll see what happens.”
The semi-final clash between Musetti and Djokovic is set to be a highly anticipated match, with both players aiming for a spot in the Wimbledon final.
Be First to Comment