Musetti outclassed by Djokovic, dubs his tennis 'a joke'

Lorenzo Musetti for the first time didn't really push Novak Djokovic in a match with the Italian falling in a 6-4, 7-6, 6-4 defeat to the 24-time Grand Slam champion who booked a final showdown at Wimbledon against Carlos Alcaraz.

Musetti who has had an exceptional tournament lauded Djokovic afterwards and called the level he was playing at 'a joke'. A player who in the past has troubled Djokovic, he had no answer to him and he examined the facets of his game in particular that were mindblowing.

"As I was saying to his team in the locker room," said Musetti. "Today I was really impressed. ... I never face him on grass [before]. I have to say that. I think his tennis really fit very well on this surface. Especially how he returns, it's something like kind of a joke. I have to say today was really a joke at the end how he was returning.

"Of course, also in important points he was playing, especially on the second set, like at the end, I had let's say most chances to break him, but he was serving really well. He deserved to win."

"I think the combination of the two games can bring every match a great intensity, a great rallies, great fight from both players," Musetti said, "so that's why they're always nice, let's say, fights."

"I don't have much to say about my game, because I think I did pretty well almost everything. I have to say that I go home with a lot of positive things to bring and positive feelings. [It] has been two amazing weeks for me. You know, [it] was really surprising how I could stay at his level today. [I'm] proud of what I've achieved in this tournament.

"In the positive things I think I have to recognize that myself, I can face almost anyone, I have to say, in the tour, that I can win with anyone. Probably before this tournament I didn't have the knowledge to be someone that can beat anybody. I have to say after this tournament, especially in a Slam where the match gets longer. But I think my level can be even more better, I mean, even better in the best of five. I have to say that I go home with this thought that I can beat almost everybody."

But Musetti himself received some praise from Djokovic about how he plays saying he is so talented and so awkward to play against with no inkling about where he is going to go next.

"He's an awkward player to play against because he has that slice, defense slice. His drop shots. He can serve and volley. He's so crafty with his tennis. He has all-around game. He can play any shot. He's so talented. You don't know what to expect in a way. Each shot could be different," Djokovic said of Musetti.

"... I think in the important moments in all three sets, I probably played a little bit better than him, and it was enough."