The demands of parenthood are notoriously grueling. For many athletes, balancing family life with peak performance is a formidable challenge. But could it have derailed a promising tennis career? Italian star Lorenzo Musetti’s recent slump, marked by a dismal win-loss record, raised the question. However, a stunning turnaround in the last three weeks has ignited a debate: was it fatherhood, or something else entirely, that hindered his progress?

The Italian tennis player is currently surviving in the competitive scenes at Wimbledon, even when top-ranked stars like Jannik Sinner had to pack their bags early. In the Quarterfinals, he took down Taylor Fritz, the bearer of American hopes, in an intense five-set battle. This achievement helped him cross a distant milestone, as he became the fourth Italian to secure a spot in the semi-finals at Wimbledon. However, the road to Wimbledon glory came with a fair share of struggles.

Right from the start of this season, Musetti struggled with a win-loss record (19-24) that didn’t quite meet his expectations. From last year’s Swedish Open where he faced a semi-final defeat against Casper Ruud to this year’s French Open where he lost to Novak Djokovic in the third round, he incurred several setbacks. However, things started to change as soon as a miracle happened in his life.

“In every newborn, there is a promise of a better tomorrow,” is a line that is often seen printed on philosophical flyers. However, ATP star Musetti‘s life is a perfect example of it. Musetti cherished a personal milestone by welcoming his first child, Ludovico, born to his longtime partner Veronica Confalonieri. Their relationship, which started blooming in 2022, has been a source of motivation for the ATP star both on and off the court.

Soon after that, Musetti’s performance graph started to experience a hike, finally ending up in a surge during the grass-court season. Fresh from his Roland Garros defeat, Musetti participated at the Stuttgart Open where he made it to the semi-finals. This was followed by a commendable runner-up finish at Queen’s Club, where he defeated notable rivals like Alex De Minaur and Jordan Thompson. Fast forward to today.

The ATP star is keeping the Italian hopes high as he is set to face Djokovic once again. While his potential on grass is powered by a strong grip and miraculous luck emerging from the newborn, he could possibly have an upper hand. In order to honor his source of good luck, the tennis dad never fails to make time for his son.

“Cares about being a good dad”: Lorenzo Musetti’s girlfriend reveals his role as a dad

It has been nearly 4 months since Musetti welcomed his first child. Despite the fact that he seems to be focused enough on his matches, the ATP star ensures sparing time to spend with his family, especially with the newborn. Recently, Musetti’s partner Veronica came forward to narrate how he is coping with the father’s role.

“Lorenzo is very affectionate with Ludovico, he really cares about being a good dad, he even changes diapers. At first, the fact that he was expecting a baby was a surprise, and it upset us a bit,” she said, revealing the unexpected things that he has started to include in his daily schedule. Along with that, Confalonieri also mentioned how she was worried about this being a distraction to the ATP star’s career.

“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,” she added. However, it seems like there’s nothing to fear as Musetti seems to be managing things in a fine manner.

As his Wimbledon campaign continues, it still remains to be seen if he could get the trophy to add another memory to his life.