Musetti Eyes Title Breakthrough Against Rublev in Hong Kong
Lorenzo Musetti’s steady climb through the Bank of China Hong Kong Tennis Open draws him into a semifinal test against Andrey Rublev, where four years of drought meet seasoned resolve on fast hard courts.
In the humid pulse of Victoria Park, Lorenzo Musetti edges closer to shaking off a title drought that’s lingered since 2022. The top seed dispatched home favorite Coleman Wong 6-4, 6-4, a match that demanded every ounce of his focus amid the local cheers. Now, with the Bank of China Hong Kong Tennis Open semifinals in sight, he faces Andrey Rublev, the 2024 champion here, in a clash that could redefine his 2026 start.
Musetti’s path this week builds on a 2025 that saw him hit No. 6 in the PIF ATP Rankings, yet slip in three finals—including two championship points lost to Alejandro Tabilo in Chengdu and a three-hour battle against Novak Djokovic in Athens. Against Wong, he stayed solid, improving to 2-0 in their head-to-head by pinning rallies deep with heavy topspin forehands. Rublev, meanwhile, cruised past Nuno Borges 6-3, 6-4, firing 22 winners and saving his only break point in a display of baseline control.
“I knew I had to be really, really solid from the beginning,” said Musetti. “It was a really close match, but I stayed really focused until the end. So I’m really happy and proud to start 2026 well.”
“I’m happy to be back in the semi-finals here in Hong Kong,” said 2024 champion Rublev. “Lorenzo is playing unbelievable the last couple of years, he’s getting better and better. When I played him the first time, he was super young, so it doesn’t really count. I need to be really ready if I want to have a chance for a good fight.”
Musetti carries weight of near-misses
The Italian’s evolution shows in sharper net play and a reliable one–two pattern, tools honed since his last titles in 2022. Those 2025 finals etched lessons in pressure, turning what could fracture others into fuel for longer exchanges. On Hong Kong’s medium-paced hard courts, where balls skid and grip, his backhand slice disrupts aggressive returns, a tactic that forced Wong into errors during extended rallies.
Rublev’s prior win over him in Dubai 2020 feels distant now, with Musetti’s game layered for these surfaces—varying serve placement to jam returns and opening angles with inside-out forehands. The crowd’s energy, still warm for the local but shifting toward the underdog arc, adds a layer of intensity. As temperatures linger around 25 degrees Celsius, endurance tests both, but Musetti’s 92-minute grind against Wong suggests he’s built for the fight.
Rublev’s power probes Italian finesse
The third seed’s flat backhands slice through the air, keeping opponents pinned as they did Borges, whose returns couldn’t penetrate that wall. Rublev converted breaks at 75 percent this week, per ATP Stats, relying on a 1–2 pattern that loops topspin after body serves. Yet Musetti’s improved footwork lets him slide and retrieve, redirecting pace with crosscourt redirects into counterpunches.
This semifinal squeezes into Saturday’s schedule, the final waiting Sunday, amplifying every point’s stakes. Musetti’s drop shots could pull Rublev forward, exploiting any eagerness on a court where net approaches pay off. Their styles—power versus precision—promise rallies that bend under the lights, with the winner eyeing a rankings lift and Musetti chasing that elusive crown.
Hard courts demand adaptive edges
Hong Kong’s Plexicushion rewards topspin that kicks higher, favoring the Italian’s grip over the Russian’s low-trajectory drives. A title here catapults Musetti toward top-five contention, while Rublev defends his top-10 grip. As the sun dips over the park, this isn’t just strokes trading; it’s a mental pivot, where Musetti’s resilience could finally crack the drought and launch his year forward.
