Italian tennis player Lorenzo Musetti caused a major upset at the Rolex Monte Carlo Masters by defeating world number one Novak Djokovic in a thrilling last-16 match. The 22-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic squandered a one-set and 4-2 lead to lose 4-6 7-5 6-4 against the world No. 90, Musetti.
Djokovic struggled to find his best level in the windy conditions on Court Rainier III. The Serbian player lost serve seven times before wet weather forced the players off with the score at 1-1 in the third game of the deciding set. Following the resumption of play, the tie remained on serve until the seventh game when 21-year-old Musetti secured what proved to be the decisive break. Top seed Djokovic, who won the tournament in 2013 and 2015, saved three match points before eventually succumbing to defeat in a thrilling contest lasting two hours and 54 minutes.
Musetti’s Emotional Response
“I am struggling not to cry,” Musetti said in his on-court interview, according to atptour.com. “It is an emotional win because it was a really long match. Three-hour match and suspended by rain. It was not easy conditions because it was a little bit windy and cold – not like we used to play in the recent days. I am really proud of myself. I am struggling not to cry because it is a dream for me. Beating Novak is something remarkable for me.”
Musetti’s reward for a first career victory over Djokovic is a quarter-final showdown with fellow Italian Jannik Sinner, who battled back to beat Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz 3-6 7-6 (6) 6-1 earlier on Thursday.
Other Results
Reigning champion Stefanos Tsitsipas, who is bidding for a third successive title in Monte Carlo, overcame Chile’s Nicolas Jarry 6-3 6-4. The Greek second seed will take on Taylor Fritz in the last eight following the American’s 4-6 6-4 6-1 comeback victory over Czech player Jiri Lehecka.
World number four Casper Ruud, the 2022 French Open and US Open finalist, suffered elimination at the hands of Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff, losing 6-1 7-6 (6). Meanwhile, Denmark’s Holger Rune was awarded a walkover victory against injured 2021 Wimbledon runner-up Matteo Berrettini, while Andrey Rublev beat fellow Russian Karen Khachanov 7-6 (4) 6-2.
Musetti’s stunning victory over Djokovic at Monte Carlo Masters will go down in the history of the tournament. It remains to be seen if he can carry this momentum forward to his next match and cause yet another upset.
