India, June 18 -- The upcoming grass-court season has dealt a blow to Italian tennis. World No. 15 Lorenzo Musetti officially announced his withdrawal from Wimbledon 2026 on Wednesday, as he continues to battle a persistent left thigh injury. The 24-year-old, who reached the semi-finals at the All England Club in 2024, has been sidelined since mid-May 2026 after suffering a Grade II tear of the right rectus femoris muscle during a fourth-round loss to Casper Ruud at the Italian Open in Rome.

The forced absence marks a devastating double-blow for the former world number five, who was also forced to pull out of the French Open due to the exact same physical issue. However, Musetti's unfortunate exit has a silver lining for Italian tennis, ...