Lorenzo Musetti will miss Wimbledon, joining fellow high-profile absentee Carlos Alcaraz on the sidelines when the grass-court major.kicks off in less than a fortnight.

The 15th-ranked Italian who stood fifth last season has not competed since taking a straight-set loss to Casper Ruud in the Rome fourth round a month ago while carrying a thigh injury.

The 2024 Wimbledon semi-finalist who lost in the first round a year ago explained his health situation:“I want to update you on my recovery from the injury I sustained in Rome: rehabilitation is going very well and the medical results are encouraging.

“Unfortunately, as I have not yet been able to begin a full athletic training program, and after careful evaluation, we have come to the difficult conclusion that I will not be able to participate in Wimbledon this year. 

“It is not an easy decision, but it is the right one. My priority is to return to the court at 100 per cent. Thank you for your continued support — see you soon.”

The pullout did have a silver lining for Italy, with 2021 All England club finalist Matteo Berrettini (49th and coming back from injury) now into the main draw as a result of his compatriot’s pullout.  

Alex de Minaur extracted delayed grass-court revenge from Canadian Denis Shapovalov on Wednesday as the top seeded Australian advanced to the Queen’s club quarter-finals  

De Minaur lost to Shapo a decade ago in the Wimbledon junior final, but levelled that particular rivallry with a 6-4,6-1 result to keep a perfect record at the ATP level with the North American.

De Minaur advanced in 63 minutes as he won his sixth in a row in the series and lined up a quarter-final with Brandon Nakashima.

The quick victory was in contrast to de Minaur’s success in the opening round, when he needed two hours to put away Canada’s Gabrille Diallo

“We (he and Shapovalov have grown up together and played plenty of matches on the Tour. That one [at Wimbledon] was a special one,” the top-seeded winner said.

“I would have loved to have gotten that (2016) win, because it would have given me the World No. 1 junior ranking.

“But here we are 10 years later, and I’m still enjoying myself.”

De MInaur, the 2023 finalist against Carlos Alcaraz here, broke Shapo five times as he takes aim at a third career title on grass.

Alexander Zverev was tested to the limit  on Tuesday on the ATP Halle grass as the new French Open champion squeezed out a 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 opening win over Czech Vit Kopriva.

“I’m very pleased and happy to play my first match as a Grand Slam champion in Germany, but I don’t think that affected me too much,” the 29-year-old  Zverev said. 

“It (his problem) was really the change of surface, and my opponent was really good today. 

“I’m very pleased with the win, it  was a difficult match, a difficult opponent, and for the first grass-court match, it was not too bad.”

While the German top seed and world No. 3 was going about his business, a pair of lesser seeds hit the exits in northern Germany, with seventh seeded two-time titleholder  Alexander Bublik  going down to Italy’s Mattia Bellucci 7-6 (6), 6-1.

The Kazakh seed won the trophy here in 2023 and a year ago.

Bellucci is only the second man to upset a reigning champion in the opening round at the venue and set up a second-round encounter with qualifier Raphael Collignon, who defeated  Australian Alexei Popyrin 6-4, 6-2.

No. 8 seed Andrey Rublev was defeated by Poland’ Hubert Hurkacz 6-3, 6-2,

Main photo:-Alexander Zverev with his maiden Grand Slam Trophy in Paris – by Roger Parker/ISF Ltd