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Analyzing the path of growth that has allowed Lorenzo Musetti to sneak into the top 20 and consolidate himself as one of the best talents on the Tour, it is impossible not to mention his first ATP title won in Hamburg against former world number one Carlos Alcaraz.
The game that decisively changed the fate of the Italian player in the German event was the one he played against Dusan Lajovic. On the brink of defeat, Musetti disallowed two match points and found a way to turn the game around.
Even in the final against Alcaraz, the Italian showed all the improvements he has made from a mental point of view. He was not swayed by five wasted match points late in the second set, and in the final set he played masterfully.
In an interview with ESPN, Musetti focused on the first two players in the ranking, that is, Novak Djokovic and Alcaraz himself. "Copying them would do me no good. We are all different players, with different personalities. What Alcaraz did last year was incredible.
He deserved everything he got. I think I have to focus on my career, not think about anything other than who I am as a tennis player. I think Alcaraz will win more Grand Slam tournaments, just like Nole. Only by working will I get a little closer to his level." Next, Musetti described his first experiences in the world of tennis.
"With my father I played just for fun, but I had the opportunity to train at a club that was a forty-minute drive from home. I traveled every day to train. There I met my current coach, my second father (referring to Simone Tartarini, ed.).
Nobody can tell you if you will become a great player or not. You have to invest in your future", concluded Musetti.
Alcaraz managed to defeat Laslo Djere
Carlos Alcaraz was surprised to witness a heavily packed audience in attendance for his first match at the Argentina Open.
"I didn't expect such a great crowd, a great atmosphere behind me. So I just can say thank you to all the fans here in Buenos Aires for the warm welcome that I received in this first match and I hope to keep going with this energy," he said after the match.
"It's a great feeling to win again. It's been a long time for me with no competition, with no matches, just recovering. Finally I got my first win of 2023," expressed the 19-year-old.