“It will be nice to grow up together. I hope to have a long career and that he can follow me. But above all to give him satisfaction on and off the pitch,” said Lorenzo Musetti in November last year talking about his soon-to-be-born son, Ludovico. But before the tennis star can reach that critical juncture in his life, it seems, diapers and milk bottles will be preoccupying his schedule. But if you thought the man who’s so used to wielding racquets in his hand is afraid of a change, you’re sorely mistaken.

Being a young parent is hard, but for 22-year-old Musetti, his duties as a father take equal precedence besides his professional career! Recently, his partner and the mother of his first child, Veronica Confalonieri, opened up about what makes the Italian star so great at his new role. Sharing the emotional bond between the family, Confalonieri said, “Lorenzo with Ludovico is very affectionate. He cares a lot about being a good dad, he also changes his diapers.” The family of three has come a long way from battling initial fears to enjoying every moment with the ‘sunny Ludovico.’   

Revealing how the news of parenthood scared her more than Musetti, she said, “At first, the fact that he was expecting a baby was a surprise, and it upset us a bit. Maybe at the beginning, I was more shocked than he was. I was afraid that it would be a hindrance to his career, that he would feel homesick when he was away at tournaments.” For the unversed, the pregnancy wasn’t planned. Hence, with Musetti’s tennis career reaching new heights, the news was indeed “destabilizing”. 

Tennis – French Open – Roland Garros, Paris, France – June 7, 2021 Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti reacts during his fourth round match against Serbia’s Novak Djokovic REUTERS/Christian HartmannIn an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport, the young father had revealed the hard truth about such sudden and life-changing news. “Of course, at the beginning, it was a bit of destabilizing news, but not because I wasn’t happy, on the contrary. But there are many things to think about with Veronica, a family base to create, a new couple structure, much more important than a wedding. A child is forever,” he had revealed.

Last year, before the couple announced the pregnancy news in November, Musetti was on his way to reach some unachieved milestones in his life. Not only did he upset the World No. 1 Novak Djokovic (4-6, 7-5, 6-4), in Monte Carlo’s Round of 16 in April (to reach his second Masters Final), but he also reached a career-high World ranking of 15, just two months later! So it’s understandable what got Confalonieri so worried.

However, the concerns turned out to be unfounded. While Musetti is aiming to rise to the top of the table, his goals are clear. “The main goal for this season is to try and be a nice father,” he said earlier this year at Adelaide International. And, so far, he’s balanced his roles on and off the court pretty well. As of now, the Carrara-native is on his way to his first Grand Slam semifinals at Wimbledon, finally past the American threat. But now he’s in for an even bigger challenge. 

Lorenzo Musetti played his ‘best tennis’ to overcome Fritz

After achieving his dream of reaching the quarterfinal of Wimbledon, Musetti went a step ahead and eliminated a formidable opponent. However, the task was not easy. “I probably played my best tennis at the end,” Musetti said after beating Fritz 3-6, 7-6, 6-2, 3-6, 6-1. As he spoke with a huge grin on his face, he did not forget the big challenge he was going to face.

Novak Djokovic has advanced to his record-tying 13th Wimbledon semifinal, after Australian player Alex de Minaur pulled out owing to a hip injury he sustained during his fourth-round victory against Arthur Fils (6-4 4-6 6-3). After last year’s upset, Musetti is sure to have some confidence for a repeat win against the veteran. However, he knows the task won’t be easy. 

“I’ve had the chance to play against him a lot of times. We know each other well. They’ve always been huge fights. I expect a big, big fight. I think it’s gonna be one of the toughest challenges on tour, but I’m an ambitious guy and I like to be challenged,” Musetti said about his impending clash. “He probably knows, better than me, the surface and the stadium, for sure…he’s a legend everywhere, but especially here in Wimbledon,” the 22-year-old further said.

Last year in Monte Carlo, Djokovic’s performance against the 25th seed was surprising, to say the least, as he was evidently struggling. Notably, after two sets, the veteran was broken seven times and had won just 26% of second-serve points. However, in last month’s French Open, the 24-time major champion pulled off a comeback win in a third round five-set match (7-5, 6-7 (6), 2-6, 6-3, 6-0). What only seems like an uphill task, currently, Djokovic has a dominant 5-1 head-to-head record against Lorenzo Musetti. But can the young star achieve a surprise win yet again? 

With this loved one’s support, he just might! “I always had a really beautiful family that always supported me chasing my dream. It’s tough to speak,” the player had said just a few days ago after reaching his career-first Wimbledon QF. Surely, they will continue to cheer him on as he faces the dragon, looking to win the title for the 8th time. 

Do you think Lorenzo Musetti will be able to reach the Wimbledon final? Tell us your predictions in the comments below!