Lorenzo Musetti advances in Montecarlo and defends his “vintage” game: “aesthetically better and I am a fan of a hand” | ATP Tour

Montecarlo

Musetti advances in Montecarlo and defends his “vintage” game: “aesthetically is better and I am a fan of a hand”

The Italian is in the semifinals of an ATP Masters 1000 for the first time

April 11, 2025

Lorenzo Musetti smiles, almost getting emotion on his face. In the tribune, his son and mother of his son, he cries. For the Italian, this Friday, it is much more than a simple victory that catapults it to the semifinals of the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters.

It happens that Musetti achieved his first victory against Stefanos Tsitsipas in his sixth confrontation Lexus ATP Head2head and advanced to his first semifinal ATP Masters 1000 after beating the Greek tricampeón 1-6, 6-3 and 6-4, supported by a brave service, saving 14 of the 17 break points to which he faced, according to Infosys ATP Stats.

Italian’s tennis repertoire is unique: he owns a particular technical game, “vintage”, as he likes to describe him, with a setback to a picture hand and perhaps a little contrary to the current power, but something that gives him a lot of pride and does not plan to change. On the contrary: it still has a lot to give, and by polishing.

“I think my game is a little more different from others because with the reverse to one hand and I like to vary and cut the ball … especially here in the brick dust I think I can vary more,” he described atptour.com during the Latin tour of slow court. “Now I think the modern game is more serve and first blow … or serve and return. But that is not what configures me as a player,” he added.

Does this particular situation generate pride? “I think people like a slightly vintage game like mine or how the reverse players in one hand,” Musetti said.

“Now the speed, physical competition makes it play much faster then I don’t think I can return a slower, more technical game, if it can be defined so,” said the Italian, who chooses Wawrinka as his favorite reverse of today. And yours? “I am not going to put mine in a classification because I have not finished my career and I think I can improve in that,” he said, with a smile.

“I have seen Henry Bernet (Australia Junior Open Champion) and of course I like when I see a junior with a hand … I am a fan of the setback to one hand, but in the modern game it does not help you, it is reality, and you can complicate you a little, I think. But on the other hand, aesthetically, I think it is better the setback to a hand”

At the moment, Musetti claimed to get on No. 13 at the PIF ATP Live Rankings and could enter the top 10 for the first time if he wins two more games and manages to take the most important title of his career in the Principality.