For the first time in a Slam quarterfinal, the talented young Italian gives credit to a retrieved positive mindset
Mid-June 2021, Lorenzo Musetti was joggling his debut at Wimbledon and his Secondary School Leave Exam, scheduled a week before the Championships. His grass swing consisted in hitting some balls on a makeshift grass court, hurriedly set up on a football pitch.
He succeeded in landing in London just in time to show up for his first round thanks to Novak Djokovic, who offered him a lift on his private jet. On the second day He lost to Hubert Hurkacz, who would reach the semifinals.
What a different story this year, and what a different grass swing. Semifinal in Stuttgart, final at the Queen’s, quarter final at Wimbledon, his first in a Major.
What’s the secret of such a success story, after a somewhat jolted first part of season, with some ups, but also several downs?
“It doesn’t just come from this week. It comes from the fact that I maintained a positive mindset even when I was going through a negative period in terms of results and performances. By playing in minor events I managed to retrieve good sensations on court. I didn’t expect to switch so successfully from clay to grass, with this very positive adaptation. The Queen’s final was unexpected but I believe I deserved it. Here I played four very close matches where I had to bring out something that hadn’t come out for a long time, which drove me to reach the quarterfinals.”
He is willing to admit that he had a good draw. Yet, he points out that facing lower ranked players can bring in additional pressure.
“All these matches as a favourite… it’ was not so easy, especially the last two rounds where I was aware of having a big chance to make my way to the quarterfinals. I faced two players who had mostly played on the Challenger tour and I felt a little more nervous. In my last match against Comesana it was important to win, not to play my best tennis.”
In his next match against Taylor Fritz he will no longer be the favourite, but this is not bothering him. “Maybe I will step onto court with a little more tranquillity,” he says, laughing.” I hope to come up with the tennis I know I’ve got in me. I hope to have fun.”
Indeed Lorenzo Musetti has been dealing with pressure and expectations since he emerged as a talented junior player. It’s challenging and stimulating at the same time.
“I got used to living with people’s expectations, I think it’s quite normal. Only at times I went through some discomfort, because I felt in some moments of my life that there were people who did not support me. But I have always been proud of the expectations they had of me.”
