He finally managed to beat his “black beast”, and he did it on an important stage. Good debut for Lorenzo Musetti in the “Rolex Paris Masters”, eighth and last ATP Masters 1000 of the year endowed with a prize pool of 2,603,700 euros that is being disputed on the fast indoor of the Palais Omnisport in Paris-Bercy.
In a match that ended not too far from midnight, the 19-year-old from Carrara, n.67 ATP, fished out on the board as lucky loser (in the decisive round of which he was defeated in three sets by the French Hugo Gaston, n.107 ATP), he beat in comeback for 46 76 (5) 64, after more than two and a half hours of struggle, the Serbian Laslo Djere, n.51 del ranking.
It’s the night of the lucky losers ??
Lorenzo Musetti joins Dominik Koepfer in R2 with a hard-fought 4-6 7-6(5) 6-4 win over Djere!#RolexParisMasters pic.twitter.com/p2CNOCUBzD
– Tennis TV (@TennisTV) November 1, 2021
The 26-year-old from Senta had always prevailed in the previous three matches, the last in the round of 16 in Nur-Sultan last month. The Tuscan Next Gen had to cancel a ball-break already in the starting game but in the fifth the feat was not successful: the Serbian defended the advantage with authority and secured the first set for 6-4.
Djere took a break advantage also at the beginning of the second set but Musetti immediately recovered it (1-1). And above all, he began to respond. Lorenzo canceled a ball-break also in the seventh game, then the two fought shoulder to shoulder until the tie-break. Musetti jumped forward 4-1, then 5-3, got hooked up to 5 all and then closed for 7 points to 5 dragging the match to the third set.
In the third game of the decisive fraction, the Serbian concentrated at least four free games, three of which with the forehand: he canceled a first ball-break with an ace but on the second he kicked the backhand into the net. Musetti, however, did not take advantage of this and in turn gave up the joke (2-2). The serve suddenly became less important and Djere lost it again but this time Lorenzo confirmed the advantage (4-2). It was the decisive extension because Musetti did not risk anything and closed in the tenth game (6-4), even if he needed four match-points before being able to lie down, happy, on Court 1 in Paris-Bercy. .
On Wednesday in the second round Musetti will find the winner of the match – scheduled for Tuesday – between the Australian James Duckworth, n.55 del ranking, and the Spanish Roberto Bautista Agut, 20 ATP and 14th seeded.
–
