Lorenzo Musetti is preparing for what he describes as the most demanding match of his ATP Finals campaign as he gets ready to face Carlos Alcaraz in Turin on Friday. The Italian, who entered the tournament following Novak Djokovic’s withdrawal, is still in contention for a semi-final spot after his gritty three-set victory over Alex de Minaur.
Musetti opened his run with a loss to Taylor Fritz but revived his chances with a hard-fought 7-5, 3-6, 7-5 win that stretched nearly three hours. The 22-year-old believes the momentum from that match has strengthened his mindset, though he acknowledges the challenge that awaits him.
Speaking ahead of the showdown, Musetti said that a win against Alcaraz would require exceptional performance. He added that the home crowd could play a crucial role, noting that he expects strong support in Turin. While he feels Alcaraz is more dominant on clay, he recognises that defeating the Spaniard remains extremely difficult given his form and consistency.
Alcaraz enters the match seeking his third consecutive group-stage victory, which would also position him to secure the year-end No. 1 ranking for the second time in his career. The Spaniard admitted that it is hard not to focus on the ranking battle but remains committed to maintaining his performance level throughout the tournament.
To keep his hopes alive for the top ranking, Jannik Sinner must win the title undefeated. Any slip—starting with his upcoming match against Alexander Zverev—would end his pursuit of finishing the season as world No. 1.
With high stakes for both Musetti and Alcaraz, Friday’s match is set to be one of the most intense encounters of the ATP Finals group stage.