Musetti's Steady Hand Keeps Turin in Sight
With the Nitto ATP Finals beckoning, Lorenzo Musetti carves through Alexandre Muller in Athens, his tactical poise turning late-season pressure into a path toward qualification just two matches away.
In the warm glow of Athens' outdoor hard courts, Lorenzo Musetti dismantled Alexandre Muller 6-2, 6-4, advancing to the semi-finals of the Vanda Pharmaceuticals Hellenic Championship with a display of baseline precision that belied the stakes. The 23-year-old Italian stretched his opponent from corner to corner, mixing crosscourt forehands with inside-out angles to force errors, before sealing the 82-minute affair on his first match point. This victory, his seventh semi-final of the season, edges him closer to a dream debut at the Nitto ATP Finals in his home country.
Qualification chase intensifies
To overtake Felix Auger-Aliassime, who holds the eighth spot in the PIF ATP Live Race to Turin, Musetti must claim the ATP 250 title here, a 1,400-mile journey from the season's climax. His game has evolved through a year of clay-court endurance and hard-court adaptation, where underspin slices disrupt rhythms and set up one–two combinations down the line. The psychological weight of near-misses has forged a focused resolve, evident in his crisp shot-making that pulled Muller deep and wide, turning defense into decisive offense.
Turin's allure sharpens every rally, as a win would slot him into the Bjorn Borg Group alongside Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev, and Ben Shelton, per Thursday's draw. The crowd's murmurs built with each extended exchange, sensing the Italian's blend of flair and grit that echoes his season's arc from early breakthroughs to this late surge. As expectations mount, his composure on these grippy surfaces promises to counter the burnout risk with calculated aggression.
Korda's serve challenges craft
Ahead waits Sebastian Korda, who powered into his third semi-final of 2025 by overwhelming Miomir Kecmanovic 6-3, 6-2, his 13 aces and 30 of 33 first-serve points won dominating the tempo. The American, who also bested the Serb en route to Adelaide's final in January, leads their head-to-head 3-1 and now sits at No. 48 in the live rankings after rising one spot. Chasing his first title in this final event, he's assured a year-end finish inside the Top 50, his booming delivery thriving on Athens' speedy bounce.
Musetti's variety will face a stern test against Korda's aggressive patterns, where inside-in forehands could force defensive retreats and expose backhand vulnerabilities. The matchup hinges on the Italian's ability to redirect power with angled replies and slice approaches, extending rallies to probe for lapses amid the late-afternoon heat. As the semi-final looms, this clash of styles—craft against raw pace—could define Musetti's path, channeling seasonal tension into the momentum needed for Turin.
