Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti produced one of the most determined performances of his career on Tuesday night, outlasting Australia’s Alex De Minaur in a gripping three-set encounter to stay alive in the ATP Finals race.
The 23-year-old from Carrara triumphed 7-5, 3-6, 7-5 after two hours and 47 minutes of intense, high-quality tennis that kept the Turin crowd on edge throughout. Musetti’s victory sets up a blockbuster final group-stage clash with world number one Carlos Alcaraz on Thursday — a showdown that will decide who advances to the semi-finals.
Musetti, ranked ninth in the world, showed composure and creativity under pressure, mixing his trademark one-handed backhand with deep returns and smart net play to frustrate the Australian. De Minaur, the world number seven, fought back strongly after losing the first set, forcing the Italian to dig deep in the decider.
In the crucial 12th game of the final set, Musetti broke De Minaur’s serve to seal the win, sending the Italian fans into raptures. The result keeps his debut ATP Finals campaign alive and sets up an electrifying duel against Alcaraz, who is chasing his first year-end title.
Both players will enter Thursday’s encounter knowing that only a win guarantees a place in the semi-finals — a test of nerve, stamina, and mental toughness on the grand indoor stage.
