Musetti eliminates Fritz to reach Wimbledon 1/2-final

Lorenzo Musetti advanced to his first Grand Slam semi-final after a hard-fought victory over American 13th seed Taylor Fritz at Wimbledon on Wednesday. The 25th-seeded Italian triumphed 3-6, 7-6(5), 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, setting up a daunting clash with seven-time Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals.

The match began with Fritz taking the early lead, breaking Musetti’s serve to go up 3-1 in the first set and eventually winning it 6-3. Fritz’s powerful forehands and serves set the tone, drawing admiration from the Court One crowd. However, Musetti fought back in the second set, which saw both players exchange breaks early on. Musetti then elevated his game, utilizing a mix of chips and slices to disrupt Fritz’s rhythm and win the tiebreak.

Musetti continued his strong play in the third set, securing two breaks to take it 6-2. Despite this momentum, Fritz clawed his way back into the match by winning the fourth set 6-3, setting up a decisive fifth set. In the final set, Musetti quickly built a 5-0 lead and closed out the match when Fritz hit a shot long after an awkward fall at the net.

A Musetti masterpiece 🎨

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Lorenzo Musetti defeats Taylor Fritz 3-6, 7-6(5), 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 in a stunning performance to set up a semi-final meeting with Novak Djokovic 👀#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/xTAwFwkr9H

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 10, 2024

Musetti now faces Novak Djokovic, who reached his 13th Wimbledon semi-final after Australian ninth seed Alex de Minaur withdrew due to a hip injury. This semi-final encounter will be a significant challenge for Musetti as he aims to join his compatriot and world number one Jannik Sinner as a major champion this year.