Wimbledon dream: three Italians in the quarters for the first time

The second and decisive week of the Wimbledon tournament opened with Lorenzo Musetti's victory against the young French talent Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard (who had made his way through the tournament by beating Korda, Nishioka and Ruusuvuori). With the success of the Tuscan tennis player, who was visibly emotional at the end of the match (finished 4-6, 6-3, 6-2), three Italians have reached the quarter-finals at Wimbledon for the first time.

Musetti (who returns to the top 20 in the rankings) follows Jannik Sinner's clear victory over Ben Shelton (6-2, 6-4 and, in a comeback, 11-9 at the tiebreak) and Jasmine Paolini's victory over Madison Keys, who left the court in tears at 5-3 due to a problem with her left thigh, after a hard-fought match full of ups and downs.

For Italian fans it is a rush final like never before on English grass. The Tuscan tennis player, already a finalist at Roland Garros, he will now face American Emma Navarro, while the world number one will find Daniil Medvedev (defeated in his last five matches, including the epic final at the Australian Open, last January). In the women's doubles, however, Paolini and Errani were defeated in the round of 16 by the proven pair Gauff-Pegula, who won 6-2, 6-4.

The composition of the quarters, which saw Carlos Alcaraz opposing Tommy Paul, was completed with the victories of Novak Djokovic (over Holger Rune), Alex de Minaur (over Arthur Fils) and Taylor Fritz (in a comeback in the fifth against Alexander Zverez, the number 4 seed). Musetti is up against Fritz, while the 37-year-old Serb - who dominated his opponent by displaying his usual tennis, as if he had not had knee surgery only a month ago in Paris - will play the Australian.

It is a rather anomalous edition of the 2024 women's tournament. In addition to the third-round exit of world number one Iga Swiatek at the hands of Yulia Putintseva, the competition had to do without two heavyweight players such as Aryna Sabalenka and Viktoria Azarenka, who were injured. Not only that: the defending champion, Marketa Vondrousova, was defeated in the first round and the finalist of the past two editions, Ons Jabeur, was eliminated by Elina Svitolina. The latest twist concerns Coco Gauff (world number 2), out of the game at the hands of compatriot Emma Navarro, in the first quarters of a Slam in her career. There is therefore room for the grit of those who are doing well, such as our Paolini or Elena Rybakina (triumphed at Wimbledon in 2022) who overcame Anna Kalinskaya (forced to retire in the second set, under the eyes of her fiancé Jannik Sinner). Finally, watch out for New Zealand's Lulu Sun: coming out of the qualifiers, she made it to the quarters by beating Emma Raducanu (former Us Open winner).