Lorenzo Musetti has shown he’s still got what it takes! Back in 2022, he demonstrated strong potential, but securing titles consistently has proven challenging. He has two ATP Tour singles titles under his belt, won in Naples and Hamburg. However, since then, it’s been an uphill battle. Musetti began his 2025 season with a quarterfinal run at the Hong Kong Open, but faced setbacks like early exits at the Australian Open, Argentina, Rio, Indian Wells, and Miami. Despite these challenges, he rose to the occasion and made it to his maiden 1000s Masters final in Monte Carlo. However, Carlos Alcaraz proved to be a tough opponent. Musetti isn’t too beat down, though; he’s looking forward to more!
On Sunday, Alcaraz captured his sixth career ATP Masters 1000 title at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters. Lorenzo Musetti faded physically in a disappointing end to a 3-6, 6-1, 6-0 final match. Speaking during the trophy presentation, Musetti said, “I wanna thank Carlos for sharing the court… always a pleasure for me. Always a lesson. Disappointed I couldn’t finish the match in the best way for the crowd and for all the support I’ve received this week.” He gave it his all at the Masters event, taking down Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alex de Minaur on his way there.
But what went wrong for Musetti? The Italian started strong, breaking Alcaraz’s serve and winning his first set against the Spaniard since their Hamburg clash in 2022. But Alcaraz roared back in the second set, dominating with powerful serves and baseline control. By the third set, Musetti was visibly hobbled, grimacing after missed shots and taking a medical timeout for his upper right leg. Restricted in movement, he chose to play out the match but couldn’t keep pace as Alcaraz won 12 of the last 14 points. Musetti looks forward to meeting Alcaraz again, noting, “But you deserve it. I’ll try to come back for revenge.” He challenges.
In his usual down-to-earth nature, Musetti congratulated Carlos’s team and the Spaniard, who has always shown immaculate results since his debut. He said, “You know the way better than us. We look up to you guys, your dedication, your work. Really appreciate to be sharing some opportunities like today.” But the road hasn’t been as smooth for Carlos either.
Lorenzo Musetti after losing to Carlos Alcaraz in Monte Carlo final
“Of course I wanna thank Carlos for sharing the court… always a pleasure for me. Always a lesson. Disappointed I couldn’t finish the match in the best way for the crowd and for all the support I’ve received… pic.twitter.com/5lNbMwljGb
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) April 13, 2025
Carlos Alcaraz’s 2025 season has been a mixed bag. He kicked off the year by reaching the Australian Open quarterfinals, only to fall to Novak Djokovic. But he quickly rebounded, claiming his first indoor hardcourt title at ATP Rotterdam by defeating Alex de Minaur. The Qatar Open didn’t go as planned, though, as Jiri Lehecka took him down in the quarterfinals.
March proved challenging for Alcaraz during the Sunshine Double. At Indian Wells, he was aiming for a three-peat but was halted by Jack Draper in the semifinals. Things got worse at the Miami Open, where David Goffin ousted him in the first round. However, Alcaraz found his footing again at Monte Carlo.
While it’s yet to be seen how Lorenzo will take charge from here, he’s given his thoughts on why he’s struggling with his form lately.
Musetti opens up about his journey with injuries
Lorenzo Musetti admitted, “I was feeling the ball really well today. I had a clear mind what I had to do. But physically I was struggling.” Despite trying to compensate early on, fatigue and stress from previous matches caught up with him. “Unfortunately, I couldn’t finish the match. I mean, I couldn’t fight ’til the end,” he added.
His coach, Simone Tartarini, revealed that Musetti developed quadriceps pain during the warm-up for the final. “This morning, during the warm-up, Lorenzo had a problem with his quadriceps,” Tartarini explained. Despite worsening pain, Musetti refused to retire from the match. “He was already in pain after the first set,” Tartarini shared, “but obviously, he didn’t want to retire since it was a final. He stayed on the court for the sake of it because the final must be played.” He even advised Musetti to stop midway through the second set due to his condition.
Despite the loss, Musetti remains optimistic about his progress. “I take a lot of positive stuff. I have reached some of my goals,” he said. Rising to a career-high No. 11 in the ATP rankings on Monday after defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alex de Minaur en route to the final, Musetti is focused on breaking into the Top 10. “We are close enough to keep fighting, keep dreaming,” he emphasized.
Musetti’s clay-court pedigree continues to shine. He has previously defeated Novak Djokovic in the 2023 Monte Carlo and claimed titles like Hamburg in 2022. The Italian is excited for the European clay swing ahead: “Clay is my favourite surface. It’s my natural habitat… This week gave me confidence to be more ambitious even in bigger tournaments like Roland Garros.”
With few points to defend this season, Musetti is determined to make a mark at upcoming events. Will he finally break through and claim another title? The European clay season promises plenty of excitement ahead!
The post “Come Back for Revenge” Lorenzo Musetti Breaks Down Feelings After Brutal Monte Carlo Loss to Carlos Alcaraz appeared first on EssentiallySports.
