Novak Djokovic and Lorenzo Musetti will play their first match on grass at Wimbledon.
World no. 25 Lorenzo Musetti has scored the most ATP wins during this year’s grass-court swing. The 22-year-old Italian will compete in his first Major semi-final at Wimbledon, facing the seven-time champion Novak Djokovic on Friday.
Musetti is aware of the rival on the other side of the net, praising Djokovic and his achievements. However, the young gun is ready to challenge the legend, expecting a massive battle and hoping for a good result. Novak and Lorenzo met six times, and the Serb scored five wins.
However, the Italian pushed him to the limits three years ago and a couple of weeks ago, failing to make a decisive push and move over the top. Djokovic and Musetti battled at Roland Garros in June, pushing each other to the limits and writing history after finishing the duel after 3 am!
Novak struggled physically due to a knee issue, trailing two sets to one before raising his level and serving a bagel in the decider.
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Two rivals will face for the first time on grass, and Musetti will try to impose his game and challenge the seven-time winner.
It’s the most important match in the Italian’s young career, and it will be interesting to see how will he handle nerves against such a strong rival on the other side of the net. Lorenzo played 13 sets in the opening three rounds, staying on the court for almost ten and a half hours but moving into the last 16.
Musetti faced the young Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard and earned a 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-2 triumph in two hours and three minutes, enjoying his shortest encounter of the tournament and moving into the last eight. A lucky loser aced his way into the fourth round, taking the opener against Musetti before losing ground and ending his run.
Lorenzo stepped in on the return after the opening set and grabbed 38% of the points, converting them into five breaks from 15 chances.
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Lorenzo Musetti is ready to challenge Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon.
The Italian lost serve once in the opener and controlled the pace with 23 winners and only eight unforced errors.
Mpetshi Perricard clinched a break at 3-3 in the opener and landed a service winner in game ten for 6-4. Lorenzo served well in the second set and broke his opponent in the eighth game after Giovanni’s double fault. Musetti fired an unreturned serve at 5-3, closing the set and gaining a boost.
The Italian faced no issues on serve in the third set and converted the third break point in the third game. The Frenchman struggled on serve and got broken again in game nine, allowing the better-ranked opponent to move two sets to one in front.
Nothing changed in the fourth set, with Lorenzo rattling off 14 service games without issues. Giovanni could not follow that pace, losing serve at love in the second game after Lorenzo’s forehand winner.
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Eager to seal the deal as soon as possible, the Italian added another break of serve to his tally in the eighth game, booking a place in the last eight.
Musetti faced Taylor Fritz in the quarter-final and prevailed 3-6, 7-6, 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 in three hours and 27 minutes, extending his career-best run at Majors. The Italian lost the fourth set before making a fresh start in the decider, entering the last four and setting the clash against Novak Djokovic.
Lorenzo took 13 points more than Taylor and made the difference with his first serve. They both hit more errors than winners, but Musetti tamed his strokes more efficiently, especially in sets three and five. The Italian lost serve four times and grabbed six breaks from 13 opportunities, including back-to-back ones in the decider.
Fritz denied break points in the first game of the encounter and served better for the rest of the set, keeping the pressure on the other side.
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Musetti got broken in the fourth game and faced another break point in game six.
He denied it, but Fritz clinched the set on his serve at 5-3 for an early advantage. They traded early breaks in the second set, and the Italian scored another for a 5-3 lead. Lorenzo failed to serve out for the set in game nine, keeping Taylor in contention.
The American saved a set point on serve in the tenth game and reached a tie break, hoping to forge a massive advantage. Instead, Lorenzo secured an early mini-break and converted the third set point at 6-5, leveling the overall score and gaining a boost.
Musetti provided four fine holds in the third set and shifted into a higher gear on the return. The Italian notched convincing breaks in games one and five and wrapped up the set with a hold at 5-2, moving in front and closer to the finish line.
With no room for errors, Fritz survived a massive scare in the middle of the fourth set, remaining on the positive side and rattling off 12 of the final 14 points for 6-3, introducing a decider and building momentum. Lorenzo left that set behind and started strongly, serving well and earning the victory with back-to-back breaks.
“Novak is a legend, especially here at Wimbledon. Facing Novak is one of the toughest challenges, and I expect a big fight. I’m an ambitious guy who likes to be challenged,” Lorenzo Musetti said.