Interview: Lorenzo Musetti claims rightful place among world’s elite

The Wimbledon ‘surprise’

Last year, he had an excellent grass-court campaign, reaching the semi-finals in Stuttgart, the final at Queens, and his first Grand Slam semi-final at Wimbledon.

“Honestly, it was a little bit of a surprise, I would say, because I didn't experience so much grass. But when I started playing on grass, I always fell in love with it,” Musetti told rolandgarros.com in a recent interview.

“And I see some similarities on grass with clay, I would say, because now grass is not like 30 years ago that was so fast that you cannot have a rally. Of course, serve and return are really important, much more than on the clay. But I think with the slice, with all the variations that I have in my background, I can really use it as a weapon. So I really love to play on both, honestly.”

‘Keeping the momentum alive’

This spring, Musetti is perhaps putting together a similarly impressive run, but on clay – the surface he grew up on – with a final at the Masters 1000 in Monte-Carlo and semis at the Madrid Open under his belt heading into his home tournament in Rome.

Those results have helped the 23-year-old lock down his place in the top 10, a career milestone he always dreamed of.

“I think the level that I'm showing this year and I would say also the last year, it confirmed my level and the consistency that I showed, especially last year. It probably gave me that extra motivation and confidence of deserving where I am today,” said the talented Tuscan.

Musetti told reporters in Rome he will try to “keep the momentum alive” starting with his opener against Finnish qualifier Otto Virtanen.

A top-10 mentality

While he feels not much will change now that he is a top-10 player, he knows that mentally, things might be a bit different.

“Making final of a Masters 1000, like in Monte-Carlo, with a lot of ups and down during my matches, then stopped one week, almost two because I played in the weekend of the second week. Going through the Madrid Open to the semi-finals without losing a set, it's a confirmation of my level, of my mentality I would say, because the top 10 mentality is of course, you try not to lose with somebody who is lower than you, you know?” he explained.

“It was something that I was feeling when I was outside, when I was 50 or whatever. Playing against a top 10 is something different. Is something different even if you win against top 10. Now I feel the opposite, of course.”

Paris ambitions

As a crafty player with lots of variety in his game, Musetti feels he has fully grasped the true identity of his playing style, and steps on court with a purpose.

He hopes march to the final four at Wimbledon last year will help him have a successful Roland-Garros, a place where he has already made the second week twice.

“My best results in Paris were the two times fourth round. And honestly, my goal this year and my expectations are to set the goal a little bit higher. But I just don't want to think too much in the future,” he says.

“I had the experience in Wimbledon and the positive thing that I had in Wimbledon was the mentality that I was playing match by match and I was not looking too much forward. So definitely I will try to experience the same.”

A historic bronze

Wimbledon 2024 isn’t the only positive experience Musetti can draw on when it comes to Roland-Garros.

On Parisian clay later in the summer, the Italian secured a bronze medal at the Olympics, becoming the first from his country to make the podium in tennis in the history of the Games. His compatriots Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini went two steps better and clinched gold in women’s doubles a day later.

“I always felt great in the conditions of Roland-Garros. And even if it was like two months later, I definitely felt great also at the Olympics,” he said.

“It was probably my best achievement so far in my career. Probably the most emotional, I would say. So, having great memories, I think it's not bad to have that in mind when you play.”

Halfway through his fifth year on tour, Musetti is feeling like a seasoned player.

“I remember when I was really, really fresh on tour and when it was my first year or the first two years, where every tournament that you play is new. You've never been there. You don't know the people, the condition, the hotels, the city,” he recalls.

“Now, I don't want to say that I'm a veteran, but I saw a lot of things and, of course, a lot of things changed. I became a father. I have a family to handle. So a lot more responsibility, even on the human side. But they brought me a better version, I think, of myself also into the court.”

Embracing responsibility

Musetti and his partner Veronica Confalonieri welcomed their first child, Ludovico a little over a year ago.

He says being a father has inspired him to embrace the idea of being a role model to others. 

“Probably having more responsibilities and becoming a sort of example, not just for my kid, but also for all the kids that watch tennis and they dream about becoming a professional tennis player or they love the sport,” he says when asked how fatherhood has changed him.

“Try to be an example also on the court, on the court and off the court. That's my main goal, I would say.”

Given that’s his goal, it’s no surprise that what Musetti was proud of the most about his runner-up showing in Monte-Carlo was his attitude; more than anything else.

“It's easy. The spirit that I showed on the court, I think. The fighter that I showed up in Monte-Carlo was really surprising also for me. And I would say that I need to be more like that during my career, during hopefully all my seasons,” he concludes.