Lorenzo Musetti holds nerve in emotional home victory to keep Top-10 hopes alive
· The South African
On Sunday, world No 10 Lorenzo Musetti’s relief was palpable after a hard-fought victory over a tough opponent, world No 27 Francisco Cerúndolo.
Competing on home soil at his favoured clay-court Masters event, the Italian battled through both injury and a determined opponent to advance beyond the third round.
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Composed performance
In front of a passionate home crowd Musetti delivered a composed yet emotional performance.
The match proved challenging, with Cerúndolo pushing him to a first-set tie-break.
Musetti held his nerve to take the breaker and ultimately sealed the contest in straight sets, 7-6 (9/7), 6-4.
The intensity of the occasion on the Court Centrale was evident, as the one-handed backhand specialist broke down in tears after winning match point.
Keen to make his country proud and impress on home turf, Musetti showed both resilience and determination in his pursuit of a deep tournament run.
Sense of relief
At the post-match press conference, the Italian admitted to feeling a sense of relief at securing victory in front of his home supporters.
“I wanted so badly to win this match and to continue this tournament for my home crowd, for my fans. For me, means a lot to play here in Rome with a lot of passionate fans and crowd that they are helping me to achieve something. I was holding all the emotion for the end. Probably was like, you know, kind of a liberation for all the emotion I kept inside throughout the match”.
The 24-year-old Lorenzo Musetti has endured an inconsistent clay-court campaign so far this season, falling short of the high standards he set in 2025.
Last year, he enjoyed an impressive run on the surface, reaching the latter stages across multiple tournaments, including the quarter-finals in Buenos Aires, the final in Monte-Carlo, and semi-final appearances in Madrid, Rome and Roland Garros.
More subdued
In contrast, his 2026 clay season has been more subdued.
Early exits in Monte-Carlo and Madrid, losing in the second and fourth rounds respectively, have limited his impact, with his only notable deep run coming in Barcelona, where he reached the quarter-finals before being defeated by Arthur Fils.
Injuries have continued to hinder Musetti’s progress, having troubled him throughout 2025 and again resurfacing during Sunday’s match.
At times he appeared visibly uncomfortable in his movement, underlining the physical challenges he has been battling in recent months.
Sunday’s victory was also crucial for Musetti’s standing in the rankings, as he looks to maintain his place in the world’s top 10; a position he first broke into at this time last year.
Unless he reaches at least the semi-finals in Rome, the Italian faces the prospect of dropping out of the top 10, putting additional significance and pressure on his progress in the tournament.
Packed to capacity
As expected, Foro Italico’s Court Centrale was packed to capacity, with home fans creating a lively atmosphere as they rallied behind their local hero.
However, the Argentine seized the initiative with a break of serve to lead 5-3, dictating play from the baseline with authority.
Mixing up his shot selection and frequently advancing to the net, Cerúndolo applied sustained pressure with an aggressive, attacking style that pushed the Italian to his limits.
But Lorenzo Musetti gradually found his rhythm, raising his level at a crucial stage to break back, buoyed on by the energy of the home crowd.
In a pivotal moment during the first-set tie-break at 3-3, the Italian capitalised on a short backhand from Cerúndolo at the net, responding with a beautifully whipped forehand cross-court return that forced an error.
His elegant one-handed backhand repeatedly drew gasps from the crowd, particularly during intense cross-court exchanges against Cerúndolo’s forehand.
Increasingly rare
Reflecting on the shot after the match, Musetti spoke of the strengths and limitations of the one-handed backhand, a stroke that has become increasingly rare in the modern game.
“The advantage probably we have on clay is the variation we can use, especially with the slice and probably the touch that you can develop starting from juniors till professional.
“I already said many times that playing one single-handed backhand is not that easy right now, especially when you play with the certain speeds and certain intensity. I am probably one of the last ones in the tour, especially at this ranking right now, so… Not easy to adapt in this modern era with this shot”.
After winning the first set tie-break, the momentum shifted firmly in Musetti’s favour, with Cerúndolo struggling to convert key opportunities and occasionally losing his focus.
Musetti, hailing from Carrara (ironically, famed for the marble used in the iconic statues of athletes that adorn the Foro Italico), dug deep to overcome visible discomfort in his leg and through for an emotional victory.
The win levels their head-to-head record at 2-2 and, for now, keeps Musetti inside the world’s top 10, as he continues his determined push on home soil.
Lorenzo Musetti’s next round opponent is world No 25 Casper Ruud of Norway. Their head to head rivalry favours Ruud at 2-1.
Amisha Savani is reporting exclusively for The South African from the Internazionali BNL d’Italia at the Foro Italico, Rome