Carlos Alcaraz once again showcased why he’s considered one of the most formidable forces on the ATP Tour, grinding out a hard-fought 6-3, 7-6(4) win over Italian favourite Lorenzo Musetti on Friday to book his place in the final of the Italian Open.
The 22-year-old Spaniard, a four-time Grand Slam champion, silenced a packed crowd at the Foro Italico with a composed and resilient performance in challenging, blustery conditions. Alcaraz’s two-hour, four-minute semifinal win marks his fourth final appearance of the season and keeps him on course for a potentially blockbuster showdown with World No. 1 Jannik Sinner.
Alcaraz entered Rome under a cloud of uncertainty after pulling out of the Madrid Masters with an adductor injury. But any doubts about his fitness have since been put to rest. With Friday’s victory, he notched his 19th win of the year and has now won 14 of his last 15 matches-a stretch that includes a title run in Monte Carlo and a runner-up finish in Barcelona.
“I had to dig deep today,” Alcaraz said after the match. “Lorenzo was playing some incredible tennis and the crowd was amazing, really pushing him. It wasn’t easy, but I’m proud of how I stayed focused.”
Despite the straight-sets scoreline, the match was anything but routine. After a clinical first set from Alcaraz, Musetti rallied strongly in the second, feeding off the partisan Italian crowd’s energy. The 23-year-old had break point chances and looked poised to force a decider, but Alcaraz’s trademark tenacity and ability to raise his game in the big moments proved decisive in the tiebreak.
With the win, Alcaraz improves to 5-1 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head series against Musetti, including a win in the Monte Carlo final earlier this year. He also moves into his 25th tour-level final and becomes just the second player to earn 77 wins in his first 100 ATP Masters 1000 matches, tying Stefan Edberg’s record.
Meanwhile, Musetti exits Rome with his head held high. His run to the semifinals included standout victories over former champions Daniil Medvedev and Alexander Zverev. His performance this week lifts him to a new career-high ranking of No. 8 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings.
“It was a special week,” Musetti said. “The support from the fans was unbelievable, and I’m proud of what I achieved. I’ll keep working to go even further next time.”
Alcaraz now turns his attention to Sunday’s final, where he will face either Italy’s own Jannik Sinner or American Tommy Paul.