MONACO – Spain’s rising tennis star Carlos Alcaraz showcased his resilience on Sunday, overcoming a shaky start to defeat Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti 3-6, 6-1, 6-0 and claim his first-ever Monte-Carlo Masters title.
Under overcast skies at Court Rainier III, the 21-year-old Spaniard initially struggled to find his footing. Musetti capitalized on Alcaraz’s 11 unforced forehand errors, breaking twice to secure the first set. The Italian’s clever shot-making and variety had Alcaraz on the back foot, leaving fans wondering if an upset was on the horizon.
But Alcaraz, known for his fighting spirit, flipped the script in the second set. Cleaning up his groundstrokes and asserting his powerful baseline game, he broke Musetti twice and surged through five consecutive games. The momentum swung entirely in his favor as Musetti began to show signs of fatigue after a grueling week of long matches.
The final set saw Alcaraz in complete control. After racing to a 3-0 lead, Musetti required a medical timeout for a right thigh issue. From there, Alcaraz displayed clinical efficiency, allowing the Italian only eight points in the set. Sealing the match with a dominant performance, he clinched his sixth Masters 1000 crown and tenth major title overall.
“I am really happy to win Monte Carlo for the first time. It has been a really difficult week with a lot of difficult situations,” Alcaraz said after the match. “I am proud of how I dealt with everything. It has been a tough month for me, so coming here and seeing the hard work pay off makes me happy.”
Showing sportsmanship, Alcaraz expressed empathy for his opponent. “It is not the way I would have wanted to win a match,” he added. “Thinking about Lorenzo, he has been through a tough week, played long matches. I feel sorry for him. It is one of his best results. Ending up like this is not easy. Hopefully, it is nothing serious and he will be 100 percent soon.”
Alcaraz’s victory marks a significant milestone in his burgeoning career, signaling his readiness to dominate the clay court season and solidifying his place among tennis’s elite.
