Spanish tennis star Carlos Alcaraz, a four-time Grand Slam champion, shared his thoughts on the injury sustained by Italian player Lorenzo Musetti during the Monte Carlo Masters final.
Alcaraz noted the high stakes of the final, emphasizing the pressure on both players, especially for Musetti in his first Masters final. He admitted his own tactical errors and need to adjust his game, saying: "It was about who controls their nerves better, there was a lot of pressure. He was playing in his first Masters final, and it was an important moment for him. For me too, because it was a difficult month for me. Being in the final, I put pressure on myself. I think he performed well, much better than me. Tactically, I didn`t play very well. I went for shots and made a lot of mistakes. I needed to change the situation."
He described changing his tactics to reduce errors and regain rhythm, which proved successful. "I changed tactics a little, tried not to make so many mistakes and get back into a good rhythm, and I think it worked out. The beginning of the second set helped me a lot in the match. Then, in the middle of the second set, he got injured. It was disappointing for him. I feel very sorry for him, but I am sure that he will return to these rounds more than once. I was not surprised by his level, we will see Lorenzo Musetti in this position more than once," Alcaraz added.
Alcaraz further commented on Musetti`s potential. "I am not surprised that Lorenzo is very close to entering the Top 10. He has the potential to get there. He has defeated Top 10 players many times. He has faced the best in the world, defeated them and can play really tough matches, time after time. To get into the Top 10, you need to do this throughout the year, and I think he has the weapons, he has the level. He is learning, as he said before, to suffer during matches. I think that`s what he said. I am sure that I will see Lorenzo Musetti fighting for great things in our sport," Alcaraz said at the press conference.
In the Monte Carlo Masters final, Alcaraz defeated Musetti 3-6, 6-1, 6-0. Musetti reached a career-high ranking of world No. 11 after the tournament.
