Lorenzo Musetti got the better of fellow former junior World No. 1 and #NextGenATP Sebastian Korda on Wednesday for a place in the Open Parc Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes Lyon quarter-finals.
The 19-year-old Italian battled hard to beat the 20-year-old American 6-3, 1-6, 6-4 in a rain-interrupted clash over two hours at the Parc de Tete d’Or.
"I lost my focus and he won the second set easily," said Musetti. "I started the third set well with a break up, but then Sebi came back and he was playing really well. I played with my heart and my body. I am really proud of myself."
Musetti, who beat Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime in the first round on Tuesday and is now 11-6 on the season, will next play fourth-seeded Belgian David Goffin or Slovenian Aljaz Bedene. The World No. 82 will be attempting to reach his third ATP Tour semi-final (also 2020 Sardinia and 2021 Acapulco).
[WATCH LIVE 1]
Musetti gained the first break of the match courtesy of a Korda double fault in the fourth game, shortly before a 72-minute rain interruption. Play resumed at 12:14pm local time, and while Musetti could not convert one set point at 5-2, with Korda serving at 30/40, the Italian sealed the 40-minute opener in the next game.
Having saved two break points at 1-1 in the second set, Korda found his groundstroke rhythm and broke Musetti with a superb backhand winner down the line for a 3-1 advantage. The World No. 65 then won 12 of the next 15 points, clinching the 34-minute second set — after a run of five straight games — with a forehand winner.
Korda came close to breaking early in the decider, but it was Musetti who responded with a fine piece of anticipation on a backhand volley to take a 3-1 lead. Korda recovered to 4-4, but Musetti stepped up with two groundstroke winners in the 10th game en route to his third quarter-final of the season.
Korda, who reached his first ATP Tour final at the Delray Beach Open by VITACOST.com (l. to Hurkacz), is now 11-7 on the year. Like Musetti (2019), he won the Australian Open junior title (2018).
The 19-year-old Italian battled hard to beat the 20-year-old American 6-3, 1-6, 6-4 in a rain-interrupted clash over two hours at the Parc de Tete d’Or.
"I lost my focus and he won the second set easily," said Musetti. "I started the third set well with a break up, but then Sebi came back and he was playing really well. I played with my heart and my body. I am really proud of myself."
Musetti, who beat Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime in the first round on Tuesday and is now 11-6 on the season, will next play fourth-seeded Belgian David Goffin or Slovenian Aljaz Bedene. The World No. 82 will be attempting to reach his third ATP Tour semi-final (also 2020 Sardinia and 2021 Acapulco).
[WATCH LIVE 1]
Musetti gained the first break of the match courtesy of a Korda double fault in the fourth game, shortly before a 72-minute rain interruption. Play resumed at 12:14pm local time, and while Musetti could not convert one set point at 5-2, with Korda serving at 30/40, the Italian sealed the 40-minute opener in the next game.
Having saved two break points at 1-1 in the second set, Korda found his groundstroke rhythm and broke Musetti with a superb backhand winner down the line for a 3-1 advantage. The World No. 65 then won 12 of the next 15 points, clinching the 34-minute second set — after a run of five straight games — with a forehand winner.
Korda came close to breaking early in the decider, but it was Musetti who responded with a fine piece of anticipation on a backhand volley to take a 3-1 lead. Korda recovered to 4-4, but Musetti stepped up with two groundstroke winners in the 10th game en route to his third quarter-final of the season.
Korda, who reached his first ATP Tour final at the Delray Beach Open by VITACOST.com (l. to Hurkacz), is now 11-7 on the year. Like Musetti (2019), he won the Australian Open junior title (2018).