Musetti-Alcaraz, ATP Finals live

Musetti canceled the break point and it was 1-1

We move on to the advantage in the game: Musetti seemed to struggle with the regularity of the Spaniard, who missed a backhand for the blue team’s advantage. Then a backhand down the line by Alcaraz, still tied. Break point won with another shot from the Spaniard, cancelled. The ball goes into Alcaraz’s goal, service wins: 1-1.

Alcaraz starts again from where he left off: 1-0

Alcaraz won the first game of the second set with a score of 0: the psychological inertia of the match was now on the Spaniard’s side.

Alcaraz won the first set 6-4

Musetti was up 30-0, then missed a forehand (30-15) but regained the lead with a big ace (40-15) before missing a forehand forced by a back to the body move from Alcaraz. The Spaniard quickly closed the score to 40-40 and was two points behind in the set. Alcaraz’s response on the first set point (and also the first break point), was then devoured by the Murcian without stopping. Musetti served with all her might to take the lead, then failed to return it to the net (tie). Musetti took the moment very hard, winning at least 3 times and always being saved by the huge Alcaraz. The Spaniard regained his balance with a superb volley at the foot of the goal. Musetti hit a forehand, the second set point for Alcaraz, transformed thanks to a forehand in the corridor.

Alcaraz makes it 5-4

A bad backhand error by Musetti, who shot 40-15. Alcaraz holds serve.

Musetti holds serve: 4-4

Musetti immediately changed the score to 40-0 thanks to his always sharp serve. Outside backhand by Alcaraz: 4-4.

Alcaraz suffered on serve but it was 4-3

The building exploded after Musetti’s forehand bent Alcaraz’s leg. The Spaniard missed a forehand at 30-30, but Musetti sent a comfortable backhand down the corridor. Alcaraz served poorly in this game, but a forehand ended it.

Musetti scored 3-3

A long response from Alcaraz in a weak second from Musetti (15-0), then a short wrong pass from Murcian. Musetti took risks in the second set and everything was going well (40-0), then Alcaraz hit a forehand.

Alcaraz easy for 3-2: match won 0

Musetti’s netted backhand started the 5th game: Alcaraz stabbed him with an incredible drop (30-0), smash (40-0) and finished with Musetti’s error.

Musetti took the lead to 2-2

Alcaraz failed to reply after winning the first point of the game: Musetti put power on his serve, but Alcaraz punished him with a very narrow forehand cross. 30-30 by Musetti with a great one-two from the middle of the field. The short ball duel was won by Musetti, who managed to control the ball to make it 2-2, but was blocked by Alcaraz’s backhand. We took the lead for the first time in the match: an ace from Musetti, followed by the winning serve. 2-2.

Alcaraz leads 2-1, but Musetti controls the ball

Alcaraz closed with an ace: a great performance at 40-15, with Musetti missing a lob that would have reopened the game. 2-1 Alcaraz.

Musetti holds serve well: 1-1

Musetti served concretely: the first four shots were good, Alcaraz failed to respond.

Let’s start, Alcaraz serves: 1-0

A dirty ace for the first point of the match for Alcaraz was followed by a great backhand response from Musetti for 15-15, to an explosion from the crowd at Inalpi Arena. Serve and forehand (40-15), Musetti’s error makes it 1-0.

Players on the field

Musetti and Alcaraz on the pitch during the warm-up: Lorenzo looked very calm and in good spirits.

Double

Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool defeated the pair consisting of Spaniard Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos of Argentina and qualified for the semi-finals of the ATP Finals in Turin. The world number one English doubles team won in two sets with a score of 6-3, 7-5 in one hour and 17 minutes of playing time.

Musetti warm up

Precedent

Alcaraz was 6-1 ahead in the previous meeting with Musetti: Lorenzo won the first match, then 6 in a row.

Musetti was forced to win by a set margin

If Alcaraz wins tonight, the Spaniard will close the group with three wins, so three points in the standings. De Minaur, Fritz and Musetti are all within one point. Australia’s De Minaur will be the first person to reach the semifinals. It all depends on sets won and lost: De Minaur – who beat Fritz today – closed the first phase of the tournament with 3 sets won and 4 lost (3:4). The same applies to Fritz (3:4). Musetti, who now has a tally of two sets won and three lost (2:3), if he loses against Alcaraz will rise to 2:5 (in case of a knockout with two sets to zero) or 3:5 (if the Spaniard concedes one set): the Italian, with a set difference of -2, will be ranked last. De Minaur instead closed out the group as second for the win of the day in a head-to-head match with Fritz. Translated: if Musetti loses to Alcaraz, whatever the score (2-0 or 2-1) he will be second after De Minaur, because he has a slightly better ratio of matches won to matches lost.

Musetti is pursuing achievements with Alcaraz

Lorenzo Musetti’s great night, calling for a feat against Carlos Alcaraz. If the Tuscan wins, by any score, he mathematically qualifies for the semi-finals of the ATP Finals. But the Spaniard, who has already qualified after De Minaur’s win over Fritz, is also motivated by the fact that such success will mathematically keep him at the top of the world rankings until the end of 2025.