Davis Cup: Lorenzo Musetti - suddenly the hottest Italian share?
Lorenzo Musetti is in the quarterfinals of the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Paris-Bercy, where he meets Novak Djokovic. In a few days, however, Musetti could also be required as a team leader.
by Jens Huiber
last edit:
Nov 03, 2022, 05:51 pm
Viewed soberly, after the intermediate round in the Davis Cup in September, there were two nations that would start as favorites in the final round: hosts Spain, then with a relaxed Carlos Alcaraz and strong second casts like Pablo Carreno Busta or Roberto Bautista Agut. But above all Italy with the top duo Matteo Berrettini and Jannik Sinner. Currently, however, the balance of power seems to have shifted somewhat. To the detriment of the Azzurri.
Because how fit Sinner and Berrettini will really be in mid-November is anyone's guess. In the current week in Paris-Bercy, as in Vienna, Berrettini was completely absent, Sinner did not tear out any trees and also reported latent injuries. The Americans, on the other hand, against whom Italy have to play in the quarter-finals, are at least in decent form. Even if Taylor Fritz seemed rather tired in Vienna and Paris-Bercy. Tommy Paul and Frances Tiafoe, on the other hand, seem always good for a (positive) surprise.
Musetti shows in Rome 2020
So bad cards for Italy? But no! Because Lorenzo Musetti has made the leap in the past few months that tennis observers had believed him capable of since his grandiose coming out at the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Rome in autumn 2020. At that time Musetti breaded Stan Wawrinka and Kei Nishikori, after that it went steadily, but not quite as steeply as with Jannik Sinner.
This summer, however, "Lore" wrote to Hamburg as the tournament winner, defeating Carlos Alcaraz in the final. The next triumph came a few days ago in Naples, under the open sky and in the final against Matteo Berrettini. In Paris-Bercy, Musetti is now back in the quarter-finals after beating Casper Ruud. The ranking has never been higher with 23rd place.
Who will be Carlos Alcaraz's successor?
Can the 20-year-old also lead the Italian team? First of all, Lorenzo Musetti has to live up to his shared role as a favorite at the #NextGen Masters in Milan. There he appears alongside Holger Rune - also a quarter-finalist in Paris - as the hottest contender for the title. And thus also to the successor to Carlos Alcaraz. Whose rise in the tennis world could hardly have been steeper.