Historic Feat For Italy As Paolini, Sinner, and Musetti Make Wimbledon Quarterfinals

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For the first time in Wimbledon history, three Italians—Jasmine Paolini, Jannik Sinner, and Lorenzo Musetti—have reached the quarterfinals. This milestone marks a significant achievement for Italian tennis, showcasing the country’s growing prominence in the sport.

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Jasmine Paolini advanced to the Wimbledon quarterfinals for the first time

Jasmine Paolini advanced to the Wimbledon quarterfinals for the first time when Madison Keys quit with a possible groyne injury in the third set on Sunday.

The 12th-seeded American Keys seemed to be winning the match at 5-2 in the decisive set when she broke the ace and instantly grasped her left groyne. She summoned the trainer and left the court for a medical timeout, returning with her left thigh tightly bound.

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When play resumed, Keys battled physically and emotionally, breaking down in tears after hitting a drop shot and falling 15-40 behind.

Despite saving the first break point with a backhand winner, she lost her serve with a double fault and was in tears again.

Despite struggling to walk, Keys won the first point of Paolini’s following serve game with a lob before signalling the end of the match following Paolini’s ace. She walked to the net and gave Paolini a sad hug.

In the second set, Paolini had pulled off an incredible comeback from a 5-1 down to force a tiebreak. The final score was 6-3, 6-7(6), 5-5 in Paolini’s favour before Keys decided to call it quits.

Paolini is scheduled to face either American 19th seed Emma Navarro or US Open champion Coco Gauff.

Jannik Sinner into the Wimbledon quarter-finals

Jannik Sinner looked every bit the PIF ATP Rankings No. 1 player.

The Italian star defeated dangerous 14th seed Ben Shelton 6-2, 6-4, 7-6(9) to advance to The Wimbledon quarterfinals for the third year in a row. The 22-year-old is the first Italian man to reach Wimbledon’s final eight three times.

Sinner had to work hard in his first two matches (both four-setters), particularly in a second-round clash with countryman Matteo Berrettini, who forced him to a fourth-set tie-break. In his last two matches, he has not lost a set.

The top seed had to be smart against Shelton, who thrives on competing against the best players on the biggest stages. Last October, the Americans defeated the Italians in a final-set tiebreak. With his powerful serve on the No. 1 Court grass, it wasn’t surprising that Shelton might cause difficulties for this year’s Australian Open champion.

Lorenzo Musetti a Wimbledon quarter-finalist

The Italian reached the Wimbledon quarterfinals for the first time on Monday, defeating French lucky loser Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-2.

Mpetshi Perricard was celebrating his 21st birthday and went into the contest full of confidence. The big-serving Frenchman advanced to the fourth round of a major by defeating Sebastian Korda, Yoshihito Nishioka, and Emil Ruusuvuori, hitting 105 aces in his first three encounters.

The Lyon champion was unable to perform at his peak against Musetti in the pair’s maiden Lexus ATP Head2Head match. The 25th seed broke Mpetshi Perricard’s serve five times and was more steady in the baseline exchanges, making only eight unforced errors compared to his opponent’s 42.

“It is tough for me to get emotional but today I think I will,” Musetti stated. “I’ve been dreaming about this moment since I was a child. I’ve always had a wonderful family who has encouraged me to pursue my dreams.

Musetti’s two-hour, five-minute victory on No. 2 Court advanced him to the quarterfinals alongside World No. 1 Jannik Sinner. It marks the first time in history that multiple Italian men have advanced to the last eight at SW19, with Musetti being only the seventh Italian to do so.

Also Read: Who are the top five best tennis players in the world in 2024?

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