Monte Carlo Masters: Lorenzo Musetti upsets Felix Auger-Aliassime

ATP Tour
Lorenzo Musetti of Italy

Italian Lorenzo Musetti overcame World No 9 Felix Auger-Aliassime, 6-2, 7-6(2), to reach the third round at the Monte-Carlo Masters.

The victory on Wednesday was just the second Top 10 win of Musetti’s young career.

Musetti was well supported at a venue that he counts as something of a second home.

“I live here and practise here,” Musetti said in his on-court interview at the Monte Carlo Country Club.

“It is nice to be here and play here in front of such a crowd. I am really happy.

“My backhand down the line was a key to many of my great shots.

“After a really good first set, he came back with such powerful serving, but I was calm and patient and that was the most beautiful thing about today.”

In the next round, Musetti is set for a second meeting with Argentine Diego Schwartzman, whom he beat for his first top ten win at Acapulco in 2021.

“Diego knows how to run and how to defend and attack, so it is going to be a really great battle,” Musetti added. “Diego was my first Top 10 win, so let’s see if I can double up the score. I hope to play a great match.”

Perhaps inspired by a raucous crowd, Musetti came out of the gate strong, blasting his way to a 6-2 first set win without facing a break point.

In the second set Auger-Aliassime upped his game but could only manage to force the tiebreaker which the Italian won.

Musetti was relentless throughout and seemed capable of finding a way to turn points around time and again.

Auger-Aliassime has struggled for form since claiming his maiden title at Rotterdam and reached the final in Marseille back in February.

In other results, Casper Ruud progressed from his Scandinavian battle against Holger Rune.

Meanwhile, Cameron Norrie exited at the second round stage despite putting up a fight in his match against Spain’s Albert Ramos Vinolas.

Alexander Zverev breezed past Frederico Delbonis and Andrey Rublev fought back from a set down to oust Aussie Alex de Minaur.

Felix Auger-Aliassime Lorenzo Musetti

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