Taylor Fritz celebrates winning the first set against Lorenzo Musetti (not pictured) on day ten of … [+]
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Taylor Fritz had a golden opportunity to reach his first Grand Slam semifinal at Wimbledon.
After upsetting No. 4 Alexander Zverev in five sets on Monday, the American No. 13 seed was the higher seed against No. 25 Lorenzo Musetti and the favorite to reach the Final Four.
But Fritz could not win his second straight five-setter and came up short against Musetti, 3-6, 7-6, 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 in 3 1/2 hours.
Musetti — and not Fritz — will face No. 2 and 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic in the semifinals on Friday. The Serb is 5-1 against Musetti.
Musetti is the lone Italian man in the semis after No. 1 Jannik Sinner lost in the quarters to No. 5 Daniil Medvedev.
“I probably have no words, but I try my best,” Musetti, 22, said. “I think I didn’t realize yet what I’ve done.”
He added of Djokovic: “He’s a legend….It’s always been a huge fight so I expect a big, big fight and I think it’s going to be one of the toughest challenges but I’m an amibitious guy and I like to be challenged so I try my best, I try to put my 100% effort and let’s see what’s gonna happen.”
Djokovic got a walkover into the semis after Australian Alex De Minaur pulled out due to a hip injury suffered in his fourth-round match with Arthur Fils.
It has now been 82 Grand Slam tournaments since an American last one, dating to Andy Roddick at the 2003 U.S. Open.
Fritz was attempting to become just the fourth American man in the last 15 years to reach the Wimbledon semis after Roddick (2009), Sam Querrey (2017) and John Isner (2018). The last American man to win Wimbledon was Pete Sampras in 2000.
Musetti appeared tentative to start and Fritz secured an early break for 3-1 in the first set. The American then closed out the first with an ace up the T.
LONDON, ENGLAND – JULY 10: Lorenzo Musetti of Italy plays a forehand against Taylor Fritz of United … [+]
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Fritz then earned a break for 1-0 in the second when Musetti sailed a forehand long.
Musetti took the second set tiebreak on a second-serve service winner that Fritz hit into the net.
After Musetti cruised in the third set, he hit a forehand long on Fritz’s set point in the fourth, forcing a fifth set.
But Musetti took charge in the fifth, going up a double-break at 4-0 with a backhand slice winner into the open court.
With Musetti serving at 5-1, 30-15, Fritz’s knee buckled and he fell to the court.
Musetti closed it out on his serve for his first Grand Slam semifinal.
“I think I played a fantastic match because Taylor was really in great shape,” Musetti said. “Really, really happy to be in my first semifinal here.”