Musetti Saves Match Point to Reach Athens Final and Extend Turin Hopes
Lorenzo Musetti kept his ATP Finals dream alive after saving a match point and defeating Sebastian Korda in a tense semifinal at the Athens Open on Friday. The Italian triumphed 6-0, 5-7, 7-5 to secure his place in the final.
In the championship match, Musetti will face Novak Djokovic, who ended his streak of semifinal defeats by beating Yannick Hanfmann 6-3, 6-4. Musetti currently ranks ninth in the race to the eight-man Finals in Turin, which begin Monday in his home country. To qualify, he must win the Athens tournament and overtake Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime in the standings.
Match Summary
- Musetti dominated the first set, dropping only five points.
- Korda rallied in the second, breaking serve twice to win 7-5.
- In the deciding set, Korda held a match point in the 10th game, but Musetti escaped with remarkable shot-making, turning defense into attack with a clever lob.
- The Italian broke back immediately, then saved a break point before sealing victory in two hours and twenty minutes.
“I think we both played a fantastic match,” Musetti said. “The level was getting higher and the adrenaline was intense.”
“Achieving the final here is really important and I am already focusing on tomorrow.”
Next Challenge
With one more match standing between him and qualification for Turin, Musetti now prepares to face top seed Novak Djokovic in the Athens final.
Author’s Summary
Musetti’s gritty comeback in Athens keeps his Turin ambitions alive as he prepares for a decisive final against Djokovic.