2024-07-11 09:20:02
Lorenzo Musetti advanced to the semi-finals of Wimbledon after beating Taylor Fritz 3-6 7-6(5) 6-2 3-6 6-1 across five sets on Wednesday.
The Italian overcame a first-set loss with supreme composure to take control of the tie and outlast American Fritz. Musetti now faces Novak Djokovic in the Wimbledon semi-final.
“I probably have no words. It’s tough to speak but I’ll try my best,” Musetti said after the match.
“I think I didn’t realise 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.”
Fritz took the first set in impressive fashion without really hitting his top gear. Unlike Musetti, Fritz took his break-point opportunities and made a comfortable start to the match.
Musetti played the second set with a confidence that he was missing in the first.
The Italian kept his composure throughout and found his rhythm. He took a 5-3 lead before eventually prevailing in the tie-break and levelling the match.
Set three was the most emphatic and dramatic of the tie so far, with Musetti fully coming into his own with a powerful serving game and taking the lead. Fritz was visibly confused and flustered, lacking any answers to the questions that Musetti was throwing his way.
With the Italian up a set going into the fourth, all the momentum and confidence seemed on the 22-year-old’s side yet, the American suddenly emerged with a vigour that had eluded him since the opening set.
He fought back in the fourth, winning and tying up the game to send it to a final fifth set.
Musetti had regained complete control of the tie and blitzed his opponent to take five games without an answer in the final set. In the seventh game of the set, Fritz attempted to return a beautiful Musetti drop shot with a slide, falling and injuring his leg. Right after, Fritz failed to return a serve and Musetti could finally enjoy his victory.
“I think we played a fantastic match because Taylor was really in great shape,” Musetti said. “Really happy to be in my first semi-final here, and I just want to say thanks to my team and my friends who came from my hometown to support me.”
Musetti had a slow start to the quarter-final but saved his best tennis for last as he blitzed Fritz in the final exchanges.
“Yeah, probably I played my best tennis then,” the Italian added. “I kept the best for the end. It was not the best start because Taylor was really leading the game, especially with his serve and I couldn’t return well. In the second set I had a big reaction after breaking at the start and that changed my mind, my attitude. That probably made the difference and hopefully on Friday I will have the same one.”
Musetti’s serve was the foundation of his win and particularly his commanding presence in the later games. The No. 25 in the world converted six of 13 breakpoints across the three-hour, 27-minute triumph.
Musetti now heads into his first Grand Slam semi-final, against Djokovic, on Friday.
“He (Djokovic) 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,” he said.
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 and 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 per cent effort and we’ll see what happens.”
