Musetti saves match point to reach Athens final and prolong Turin hopes

Musetti Saves Match Point to Reach Athens Final

Lorenzo Musetti narrowly escaped a match point to defeat Sebastian Korda in Athens on Friday, extending his hopes to qualify for the season-ending ATP Finals in Turin.

Match Summary

The Italian triumphed with a score of 6-0, 5-7, 7-5. In the final, he will face Novak Djokovic, who ended his semi-final losing streak by beating Yannick Hanfmann 6-3, 6-4.

Qualification Context

Musetti currently ranks ninth in the race to qualify for the eight-player ATP Finals starting Monday in Turin, Italy. To secure a spot, he must win the Athens tournament to surpass Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime in the rankings.

First Set Performance

Musetti dominated the opening set, losing just five points in a sweep.

Second Set Details

In the second set, Musetti broke Korda's serve in the seventh game, but Korda immediately broke back. Korda then secured the set by breaking to love in the twelfth game.

Crucial Moments in Third Set

Korda earned the first break point and match point in the tenth game of the final set. Musetti saved the match point by executing a drop shot that lured Korda to the net, followed by a lob.

Following this, Musetti broke Korda’s serve, saved a break point in his own service game, and broke Korda again to clinch the match after two hours and 20 minutes.

"I think we both played a fantastic match. The level was getting higher and the adrenaline was intense. Achieving the final here is really important and I am already focusing on tomorrow." — Lorenzo Musetti

Author's summary: Lorenzo Musetti’s clutch performance in Athens keeps his ATP Finals hopes alive, as he prepares to face Novak Djokovic in the final.

Hindustan Times — 2025-11-07