As Lorenzo Musetti crouched down and bit his golden chain in emotional anguish - having squandered a golden chance to break Novak Djokovic while he was serving for a place in the Wimbledon final - the Italian likely knew he was as good as eliminated.
The 2024 season has been one of unfamiliar difficulty for the Serbian showman, but back in front of the Centre Court crowds on a warm British summertime evening, Djokovic continued his love affair with the SW19 turf, although he did not feel the love from all spectators present.
While Djokovic did not even have to hit one ball in the quarter-finals - Alex de Minaur pulled out of their scheduled contest with a hip problem - Musetti had to come through a five-set spectacular with Taylor Fritz, meaning that there would be no prizes for guessing who the fresher legs belonged to on Friday evening.
Nevertheless, the second semi-final of the day was still one brimming with enthralling rallies, thanks in no small part to Musetti's mesmerising backhand; Djokovic could not help but join in the applause after one exceptional cross-court shot from the Italian 25th seed.
However, despite an impressive away of shots from the valiant Musetti - who fought until the bitter end - there was no stopping the Djokovic juggernaut reaching a 16th Grand Slam final, as he prevailed 6-4 7-6[2] 6-4 in two hours and 48 minutes.
Novak Djokovic is a #Wimbledon finalist once again 🇷🇸
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 12, 2024
The 7-time champion defeats Lorenzo Musetti 6-4, 7-6(2), 6-4#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/Gx6pwb39DH
Djokovic edges closer to all-time Roger Federer record
Djokovic's triumph was not without its scares, as the seven-time Wimbledon winner firstly missed three match points on the Musetti serve before falling 30-0 down while trying to serve out the semi-final and eventually conceding an untimely break point.
However, Musetti's forehand failed him at the worst possible time as he sent an unforced error into the net, and on Djokovic's fourth chance to close out the match, the Italian's backhand also let him down before a warm embrace at the net.
To a mixed reaction, Djokovic immediately broke out the newfound violin celebration - supposedly an ode to his young daughter - but his gesture was met with boos by some members of the crowd who assumed that they were the butt of the 37-year-old's joke.
Regardless, Djokovic has now earned his place in a sixth successive Wimbledon men's singles final - only trailing Roger Federer's seven from 2003 to 2009 in that regard - and a 10th overall, and the seven-time winner faces a familiar foe with the trophy ready and waiting.
Before the 37-year-old conquered Musetti as the evening drew to a close, reigning champion Carlos Alcaraz - who ended Djokovic's reign of Wimbledon supremacy 12 months ago - inflicted another dose of semi-final heartbreak on towering Russian Daniil Medvedev.
© Reuters
Alcaraz fights back to set up Djokovic reunion
The trailblazing 21-year-old had to do it the hard way in a rematch with a man whom he bested in last year's semi-finals, being blown away in a first set tie-breaker before storming back to succeed 6-7[1] 6-3 6-4 6-4.
While Medvedev was clinical in the key moments - taking up each of the three break points presented to him - Alcaraz hit winners like there was no tomorrow, firing a whopping 55 past his fifth-seeded foe.
Besting Medvedev means that Alcaraz has now achieved top-five wins on all three surfaces for the second year in a row; no player younger than the Spaniard has achieved that feat since the ATP Rankings came into effect in 1973.
However, before Alcaraz's successful title defence or Djokovic's revenge mission, a new women's singles winner will be crowned on Saturday, when Barbora Krejcikova and Jasmine Paolini battle for stardom.
Ben Knapton
