Lorenzo Musetti threw the Jimmy Connors group wide open with an astonishing 7-5, 3-6, 7-5 victory in two hours and 47 minutes over Alex de Minaur at the ATP Finals in Turin – a result which means all four players can still qualify for the semi-finals with the last round of matches to play,
Musetti was 1-3 and breakpoint down in the deciding set and was facing certain defeat, but rallied brilliantly to win the last four games, and the home supporters responded to their man with boisterous support which ramped up to thunderous levels following some astounding moments.
“In terms of emotion, in terms of situation that I’ve been dealing with, and in terms of mental strength – I will rank it probably the best match so far in my career,” said Musetti afterwards. “Honestly, at a certain point, I was not thinking of making it through, but then at the end with the support from the crowd; they gave me a boost of energy that I needed, and that was probably the turnaround of the match.”
The match featured multiple extraordinary rallies which constantly thrilled the raucous crowd – including one stunning exchange at the end of the third set where both players fell to their feet after a 31-shot covering every inch of the court, ending with an acute angled smash winner by the Australian.
De Minaur served for the match at 5-4 up but faced a re-energised opponent with the crowd behind him and made some errors at crucial stages to let Musetti back in.
“I’m a warrior, honestly, I think I improved a lot on the mental side and of course, I’m pushing myself to the limit because I’m playing every match with the top players,” said Musetti.
The atmosphere in the arena fell flat during the third set when a member of the crowd received medical attention which caused a delay in play, but thereafter the two players produced tennis to match anything from the “Sincaraz” blockbusters over the last two years.
Earlier in the match Musetti sneaked the first set 7-5 before de Minaur turned the tables during an excellent second set where the Italian lost focus and energy.
“I think today at the start of the match, I was struggling physically because Alex raised the level, the intensity, and I was really struggling to find the solution. But then with a big heart, with a big passion for this game, I don’t know from where I started to feel better and to play better and then the support of the crowd, it’s literally amazing,” explained Musetti.
Musetti sealed the match with a stunning forehand crosscourt pass before he ran over the side advertising boards to share in a group hug with his team. He has been playing non-stop following his run to the Athens final last week (where he lost to Djokovic in another thriller) in the lead up to this event where he looked to secure the points for qualification here.
“Finally, tomorrow I have a day off,” he said. “That’s, I think, well deserved for me before I play against Carlos [Alcaraz]. I think it’s going to be a super, super matchup with a fantastic player that I respect so much. And I will try to enjoy and put him in the most difficult position that I can.”
