Musetti eliminates Fritz to reach maiden Australian Open quarterfinal

Musetti finishes Fritz 6-2, 7-5, 6-4

Fritz was hoping to make the quarters for the second time (2024) in his prodigious career. He achieved a career high rank of #4 in the fall of 2024 but is currently ranked #9. With ten career titles, he reached his lone grand slam final at the 2024 US Open (l. Sinner).

The twenty-eight-year-old from California dropped a set in the first round as well as in the previous round in a memorable victory over three-time grand slam champion, Stan Wawrinka, who’s retiring at the conclusion of the season.

His fourth-round opponent, Lorenzo Musetti from Italy, has not won a title since the 2022 Naples tournament. Despite this extensive drought, the 23-year-old reached three finals last season and, for the first time, qualified for the Nitto ATP Finals. As a result, he is currently ranked at a career high of #5. Last year in Melbourne, he lost in the third round in a tight four-setter to American Ben Shelton.

Level at 3-3 head to head, Fritz had prevailed in both indoor hardcourt matches, the most recent, a straight sets victory in the round robin stage at the 2025 Nitto ATP Finals.
Musetti won the toss and chose to receive. With the roof Open on Rod Laver Arena, Fritz missed 3/4 first serves but with an ace out wide held to love while Musetti donated a double fault, faced deuce and break point but held to level.

With the Italian positioned well behind the baseline, Fritz gifted three consecutive forehand errors, faced two deuce and three break points, yet held with an ace up the tee and a mishit drop shot from Musetti.

The 5th seed struck three winners, including two aces and an inside-in forehand on game point, while Fritz committed three consecutive errors and dumped serve. Musetti, utilizing the slice backhand to great effect, held to love to consolidate the break for 4-2 while Fritz missed four consecutive first serves, donated three additional errors, and dropped serve. The Italian serving with new balls opened with an ace up the tee and secured the set 6-2 with an incredible inside-in forehand winner.

Fritz served first in the second and held easily to 15 while Musetti held to love to level. The American struck three consecutive winners, including his third ace, and held for 2-1 with a fantastic forehand down the line.

Musetti dazzled the crowd with another ace and a running forehand down the line pass, but with his second double fault, he faced a break point. He managed to hold for 2-2 with a winning forehand and a mishit from Fritz.

As the unforced errors continued to accrue, the American switched gears with a winning serve and volley play, and though he faced a break point and deuce, he held for 3-2. During the changeover, with his abdomen already taped, Fritz was assessed by the physio.

The world #5 opened the sixth with his fifth ace and an exquisite forehand drop shot to level at three. Fritz hit two winners, including his fourth ace on game point for a love hold, while Musetti struck two winners, including his sixth ace, and held for 4-4.

The American serving with new balls hit two consecutive winners, including an ace out wide, and held to 30 for the lead, while Musetti, serving to stay in the set, struck three consecutive winners and held at love for 5-5.  

While Fritz remained frustrated and edgy, Musetti, with stellar defense and spectacular groundstrokes on the run, reached triple break point and converted with a tremendous crosscourt backhand. With two consecutive aces down the middle, Musetti consolidated the break at love to clinch the set 7-5.  

While Fritz was consistently outplayed and maneuvered, he refused to capitulate. He served first in the third and though he hit his sixth ace, faced triple break point, and dumped serve with three additional unforced errors.

Musetti masterfully interwove high and low balls, slice and topspin to repeatedly confound his opponent, and with his ninth ace, consolidated the break for 2-0. Fritz donated another double fault, but with three consecutive winners, including two more aces, held for 1-2.

Musetti, with poise and precision, hit a marvelous inside-out forehand short in the box and his tenth ace for 3-1. Fritz made 3/5 first serves, including an ace up the tee, and held easily to 15 for 2-3. Musetti, serving with new balls, maintained an extraordinarily high level with a winning serve and volley play and his eleventh ace.

The world #9 opened the seventh with three consecutive winners, including his tenth ace, and held at love for 3-4 while Musetti struck two consecutive winners, including another ace, to lead 5-3.
Fritz, serving to stay in the match, made 6/8 first serves, faced deuce yet held for 4-5 after Musetti overcooked the return. The Italian serving for the match and a coveted spot in the final eight, opened with an ace and secured victory with a winning forehand drop volley and an unreturnable dropshot.  

It was a breathtaking display of craft, patience, and variety. With his second win over a top-ten player in a grand slam, he’s a quarterfinalist for the first time down under.
Musetti finished with thirteen aces, two double faults, and won an astounding 84% of first and 69% of second serve points. He was similarly effective when returning, winning 36% of first and 44% of second serve points. He struck 33 winners to 24 unforced errors and saved 2/2 break points while converting 4/9.

The Italian has twice reached the penultimate round at the Grand Slam level – Wimbledon 2024 and Roland Garros 2025 . With the level he exhibited in this straight-sets demolition of a quality opponent, could this be the year he raises his maiden grand slam trophy?

Standing in his way of another semifinal is ten-time Australian Open champion, Novak Djokovic. The thirty-eight-year-old Serbian, with an astonishing 24 total slam titles, received a walkover from Jakob Mensik in the last round and won the previous three in straight sets. Will he be able to withstand the variety Musetti possesses, especially if it goes the distance?

Although the former #1 leads the head-to-head 8-1, including a three-set victory last fall in the Hellenic Championship final, they have not met in a slam since Wimbledon 2024. Musetti, fifteen years younger, looks primed to ride this wave into the final four. With age and significant crowd support on his side, look for the Italian to notch his second win over the legendary elder statesman.