Nikoloz Basilashvili upset Lorenzo Musetti 6-2 4-6 7-5 6-1 after 2 hours and 25 minutes to earn the eighth top 10 win of his career at Wimbledon.
Musetti is the third top 10 player to lose in the first round joining Danil Medvedev and Holger Rune.
Musetti recorded a tour leading 12 wins on grass and reached the semifinal at Wimbledon last year. He was playing his first match since retiring from the Roland Garros semifinal.
Basilashvili won 83% of his first serve points and hit 15 aces.
Musetti did not convert two break points in the first game. Basilashvili broke serve in the second game when Musetti made a backhand error. The world number 128 player earned a double break in the eighth game with a forehand to close out the first set 6-2.
Musetti broke serve at love in the seventh game to take a 4-3 lead. The Italian player did not face any break points in the next games to win the. second set 6-4 levelling the match to one set apiece.
Musetti saved four break points in the fourth game of the third set. The Italian top 10 player earned a break point in the ninth game, but Basilashvili saved it with a backhand. Basilashvili did not convert two set points in the 10th game but he broke serve at 6-5 by winning a rally with a volley into the open court.
Basilashvili broke twice to win the fourth set 6-1 earning his first Grand Slam match since reaching the third round at Wimbledon since 2022.
Basilashvili set up a second round match against Lorenzo Sonego.
“I was struggling to feel comfortable on the court from the beginning. Going and going with the match, I was really losing focus and was not reactive on the ball when I was coming out from the serve. Even in the lateral movements, which normally I know how to move, today seems like I never played on this surface. A really bad performance I would say”, said Musetti.
