Tennis, Internationals: Musetti beats Nishikori 6-3 6-4 and flies to the second round

The 18-year-old from Carrara gets rid of the Japanese in two sets and continues to amaze: now he will face the winner of the challenge in progress at the Pietrangeli field between Koepfer and Monfils

And whoever thought that the match against Wawrinka was a casual rush of youthful cheekiness, will now have to change their mind. Lorenzo Musetti wins again. The boy coached by Simone Tartarini, 18 years old on March 3, silenced even an experienced player like Kei Nishikori, a 12-year-old Japanese who in life also found himself No. 4 with a 6-3 6-4. world (in March 2015) and to play the final of the US Open (2014) before the current number 35 Atp even if only a year ago he was still at number 5 and permanently in the top 10. Lorenzo, at the moment, is 249. Just the Kei’s face at the end of the first set to understand part of the match. He was incredulous. Interdict. We’d bet he was thinking: “Where does this Martian come from?” From Carrara. And it’s growing great.

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Come on

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Lorenzo unleashes precise and courageous shots, backhand long line, short balls, volleys. Nishikori defends himself from experience and sometimes punishes Musetti’s kamikaze-like thrusts with a certain severity. But there are many “come on!” that fill the Central. Yes, Lorenzo celebrates with “come on”, in English. It is not a gesture of courtesy (not required for anything else) towards the opponent, Musetti always does this, he did it even in the last qualifying match against his friend Zeppieri, the match that allowed him to enter the main draw.

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The race

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In the first set he resists three chances of the Japanese for a 1-1 break and in the following game he is the one to break the serve. Come on! So it manages up to 6-3. And thank goodness that in today’s interview with the Gazzetta he declared that “the mental aspect was a bit my weak point, but I’m finding balance”. It shows. The second set is more balanced, but when at 4-3 for his opponent, 30 all, Lorenzo responds to Nishikori’s smash with a passerby that ends up in the corner, it is the Japanese himself who applauds, even showing off a sincere smile. “No, this is not a Martian, he is a boy made of pure talent”. On 4-4 the light jumps. Total black out at the Centrale, about a quarter of an hour later than the Pietrangeli, where the match between Monfils and Koepfer had already been interrupted. Eight minutes of unscheduled stop and the spotlights come back on. And they illuminate only Musetti, who breaks and goes to serve for the match. Goes below 30-0, returns to 30-30, Nishikori sends to the net and is match point. The Japanese on Lorenzo’s attack sends out. Chills. And now the winner of the match between Monfils and Koepfer awaits in the eighths. Four Italians in the second round in Rome, it hadn’t happened since ’79. But as kids like this we can really expect anything.

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