WIMBLEDON — Novak Djokovic has secured a place in the Wimbledon final with a straight-sets victory over Lorenzo Musetti, winning 6-4, 7-6, 6-3 on Centre Court. This marks Djokovic’s tenth appearance in a Wimbledon final, just 25 days after undergoing surgery for a torn meniscus in his right knee.
Despite Musetti’s impressive point construction and varied shots, Djokovic effectively countered with his consistent play. When Musetti aimed his backhand slice cross-court into Djokovic’s backhand, Djokovic often ran around to use his forehand, aiming deep into Musetti’s backhand corner to force another slice and reset the point.
Djokovic initially broke Musetti’s serve at 3-2 but was broken back when serving for the set at 5-3. Nevertheless, Djokovic broke Musetti again to take the set 6-4. In the second set, Djokovic broke Musetti’s serve at 2-3 but faced resistance as Musetti forced a tiebreak. However, Djokovic dominated the tiebreak, paving the way for a third-set win with a crucial break in the fifth game.
Musetti, who had previously disrupted American Taylor Fritz’s serve game, struggled to replicate the same strategy against Djokovic. With his precise serving, Djokovic remained largely unaffected, losing only a handful of points on serve compared to Fritz.
Looking ahead to the final, Djokovic will face defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in a rematch of last year’s five-set encounter, which Alcaraz won.
After 15 years at the pinnacle of tennis, Djokovic’s experience and adaptability were on full display. Confronted with Musetti’s diverse arsenal of shots, Djokovic relied on his extensive experience to neutralize the Italian’s game. He returned to the court just five weeks and two days after knee surgery without significant limitations.
Djokovic initially aimed to overpower Musetti, similar to his strategy against Roger Federer, focusing on rendering Musetti’s one-handed backhand ineffective. Even when cooling off after a strong start, Djokovic’s adaptive strategy kept him in control. Transitioning to a more patient and precise approach, Djokovic demonstrated a lesson in endurance and strategy.
In the second-set tiebreak, Djokovic’s aggressive yet error-free play quickly gave him the advantage, leaving Musetti struggling to keep up. With a two-set lead, Djokovic’s momentum was essentially unassailable, given his track record of rarely losing from such a position.
Djokovic spoke after the match, attributing his success to a combination of hard work and smart work. He referenced the resilience and character-building experiences shared by many top athletes across various sports.
Everyone is now eagerly anticipating Djokovic’s clash with Alcaraz, a highly awaited rerun of last year’s thrilling final.