Carlos Alcaraz and Lorenzo Musetti Advance to Monte Carlo Masters Final
Carlos Alcaraz made history by securing his spot in the Monte Carlo Masters final for the first time with a dominant victory of 7-6 (7/2), 6-4 over fellow Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina on Saturday. The young talent will face Italian sensation Lorenzo Musetti on the red clay in Sunday’s final, after Musetti rallied to defeat Australian eighth seed Alex de Minaur 1-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) in the other semi-final.
Alcaraz, a four-time Grand Slam champion, is aiming to add a Masters title to his accolades, with his last clay title coming at the 2024 French Open. Despite only winning the ATP 500 event in Rotterdam earlier this season, Alcaraz seems to be thriving on his return to clay courts.
With the early exits of top seeds Alexander Zverev and Novak Djokovic, Alcaraz quickly emerged as the favorite in the tournament, especially with world number one Jannik Sinner serving a doping ban.
Feeling the pressure due to Sinner’s absence, the 21-year-old Alcaraz managed to overcome his nerves and secure a crucial victory at an event where he had previously faltered in 2022.
Facing off against Davidovich Fokina, whom he had defeated on clay courts before, Alcaraz started the match strongly with an early break. Despite a comeback from Davidovich Fokina, Alcaraz clinched the first set in a tie-break, setting the tone for the rest of the match.
Meanwhile, Musetti faced a tough challenge against De Minaur, who dominated the first set. However, Musetti showed resilience and composure to bounce back, securing a break in the second set and pushing the match to a decider with a strong performance.
In a closely contested third set, Musetti managed to break De Minaur multiple times, showcasing his determination and skill. Despite De Minaur’s efforts to level the score, Musetti held his nerve in the tie-break and sealed his spot in the final with a well-deserved victory.
