Lorenzo Musetti edged Alex de Minaur in a thrilling semi-final at the Monte Carlo Masters, prevailing 1-6, 6-4, 7-6 (4) to set up a final showdown with Carlos Alcaraz. The Australian, who had been in superb form throughout the tournament, seemed poised to reach his first Monte Carlo final, but Musetti mounted a determined comeback, overcoming a slow start to secure the victory.
De Minaur had been one of the standout performers of the tournament, having stormed into the semi-finals with a series of dominant performances. His 6-0, 6-0 demolition of Grigor Dimitrov in the quarter-finals was one of the most eye-catching results of the week, and he followed it up with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Daniil Medvedev. His confident and aggressive style of play had made him a dangerous opponent, and his powerful display in the opening set against Musetti looked like it would carry him into the final. De Minaur took the first set 6-1 in dominant fashion, overpowering the Italian with his rapid movement and precision.
However, Musetti, supported by a passionate home crowd, managed to regain his composure and shift the momentum. The rain, which had been a minor irritant during the match, seemed to unsettle de Minaur, while Musetti grew stronger as the match wore on. The Italian broke back early in the second set, taking it 6-4, before pushing the match to a decider. The third set saw both players show tremendous resilience, with de Minaur holding off several break points. Ultimately, it came down to a tense tie-break, which Musetti won 7-4 after nearly three hours of grueling tennis.
For Musetti, the victory marked his first-ever ATP Masters 1000 final, a significant milestone in his young career. He had to dig deep against a player who had been on fire throughout the tournament, but the Italian’s determination and skill on clay ultimately saw him through.
In the other semi-final, Carlos Alcaraz defeated fellow Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 7-6 (2), 6-4 to reach his first Masters 1000 final in over a year. Alcaraz, who has been struggling with form and injuries in recent months, was relieved to return to his best tennis at the Monte Carlo Country Club. The match against Davidovich Fokina was a hard-fought contest, with the Spaniard needing to save several break points and match points to seal the win.
The first set was a tight affair, with both players unable to break the other’s serve, forcing a tie-break. Alcaraz dominated the tie-break, taking it 7-2. In the second set, Davidovich Fokina showed his own fighting spirit, saving five match points as Alcaraz struggled to break his serve. However, the world No. 3 showed his class in the closing stages, lifting his game and winning the set 6-4 to seal the match.
Alcaraz, who had not reached a Masters final since his victory at Indian Wells in 2024, was understandably thrilled to be back in contention for another big title. “It’s been a long time,” he admitted after the match. “I just had to be patient and believe that this moment was going to come again.”
With both Musetti and Alcaraz in top form, Sunday’s final promises to be a thrilling encounter. The match, originally scheduled for later in the day, has been rescheduled to take place three hours earlier due to forecasted heavy rain in Monaco. Both players will be hoping to continue their strong runs and secure their first Monte Carlo Masters title.
