‘It was a rollercoaster!’ – Lorenzo Musetti ‘still dreaming’ after axing Carlos Alcaraz for first tour title

Lorenzo Musetti was left speechless after he pulled off the upset to defeat fellow Next Gen star Carlos Alcaraz in the Hamburg Open final. 

The Italian was unseeded up against the younger top seed, but fought hard to prevail 6-4, 6-7 (6-8), 6-4 to clinch his first tour title.

Not only that, but Musetti made the achievement in his first tour final, having previously reached three semi-finals in 2021.

“I have no words,” he said in his post-match interview. “It was a rollercoaster until the end, I had so many match points. Carlos was so good during the match points. I had so many chances.

“But I think [what was important] in the match was to keep calm and keep patience in myself, because it really wasn’t easy.

“I cannot describe what I’m feeling right now, I’m still dreaming.”

Musetti missed a total of five match points in the second set before finally securing victory in the decider.

While he admitted he was upset with himself entering the third set, he had to gather himself quickly.

“I tried to forgive myself for all the [missed] match points,” Musetti continued. “So I think that was the most impressive thing even for me because I didn’t expect the win.”

Musetti is the first man to defeat Alcaraz in a tour final after the Spaniard won all of his first five finals.

And the emotion of the moment was not only felt by Musetti but also by his team, including coach Simone Tartarini.

“I finally made him cry! It was not easy,” joked Musetti about Tartarini during the trophy ceremony.

With the title, the 20-year-old elevates himself to just outside the ATP top 30 at 31st in the world, well above his previous career-high of 51st in the world.

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