Musetti steadies nerves in Vienna opener
A last-second opponent swap tests Lorenzo Musetti’s focus at the Erste Bank Open, but the Italian fourth seed channels composure to dispatch Hamad Medjedovic, fueling his push toward the Nitto ATP Finals amid a draw full of surprises.
On the brisk indoor hard courts of Vienna, where the air hums with anticipation under the lights, Lorenzo Musetti arrived Tuesday braced for a high-stakes duel. The fourth seed had studied Stefanos Tsitsipas‘s spin-laden game for days, only for the Greek to withdraw with a back injury just before their Erste Bank Open clash. In his place stepped Hamad Medjedovic, the 2023 Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF champion entering as a lucky loser, his booming serves and flat groundstrokes injecting immediate pressure into the ATP 500 opener.
Musetti absorbed the curveball without faltering, his early returns landing deep and crosscourt to blunt the Serb’s aggression from the baseline. As the match settled into rhythm on the quick surface, the Italian mixed slice backhands with inside-out forehands, forcing Medjedovic into stretched defenses that yielded unforced errors. The 79-minute straight-sets victory marked Musetti’s first win over the young talent, a testament to his growing adaptability in a season now at 39-17.
“There was a late switch, but of course I think I managed well to focus on my things and what I have to do when I step on the court,” Musetti said afterward. “I think it was a solid performance. Nothing special, but definitely what I needed in these moments, to stay solid and stay focused. ”I had a really great attitude today after the beginning was a little bit nervous. It was a great reaction, and that is what we are focusing on, and then I think the tennis will come.“
Turning disruption into dominance
The crowd’s energy surged as Musetti shook off initial jitters, his one–two combinations of serve and forehand keeping points concise against Medjedovic‘s power. He redirected pace with underspin approaches, dipping low over the net to disrupt the lucky loser’s footing on the low-bouncing court. This tactical shift not only secured the opener but rebuilt momentum, the Italian’s precise down-the-line passes sealing games amid rising applause from the stands.
By the second set, Musetti’s footwork flowed smoother, allowing inside-in backhands to pin his opponent wide and open the court for winners. The pre-match chaos faded into focused exchanges, his composure highlighting a mental edge sharpened through a grueling year. As he reflected on the reaction, the win felt like a pivot point, channeling early tension into controlled play that echoed the event’s unpredictable pulse.
Next test in finals pursuit
Ahead lies Tomas Martin Etcheverry, the Argentine who methodically dismantled Nicolai Budkov Kjaer 6-3, 6-3 with deep topspin loops that tested the young Dane’s speed. Musetti, holding eighth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin, views this second-round matchup as key to bolstering his Nitto ATP Finals debut chances, where Etcheverry’s baseline grit demands sustained aggression from the Italian. A deep run here could shift the qualification math decisively, especially with the season’s fatigue weighing on every point.
Musetti plans to exploit the Argentine’s heavier movement indoors, varying crosscourt rallies with net rushes to shorten exchanges on the fast hard. The crowd’s support, still buzzing from his opener, adds another layer, urging him to maintain the focus that turned surprise into success. Victory would propel him forward, eyes fixed on Turin as Vienna’s stakes intensify.
Draw ripples with upsets
Elsewhere, Andrey Rublev‘s fragile hopes for a sixth straight Nitto ATP Finals berth shattered in a 6-2, 6-7(5), 6-2 loss to Cameron Norrie, the Brit’s explosive returns and varied pace exposing the seventh seed’s baseline inconsistencies at 15th in the Live Race. This result evens their head-to-head at 3-3, easing some pressure on Musetti’s path while underscoring the draw’s volatility. Norrie’s down-the-line winners under the lights turned Rublev’s power against him, a stark reminder of how indoor speed amplifies mental lapses.
Home favorite Filip Misolic ignited the arena with a gritty 7-5, 7-6(6) triumph over Camilo Ugo Carabelli, his resilient serves and patient returns climbing him nine spots to No. 86 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings, on the cusp of surpassing his No. 92 career high. Next, he faces third seed Alex de Minaur, where the Austrian’s defensive slices could counter the Australian’s speed in a matchup blending local fervor with tactical depth. Francisco Cerundolo advanced emphatically, overpowering Alex Michelsen 6-3, 6-1 through probing forehand patterns that targeted the American’s serve, setting up a quarterfinal bid against eighth seed Alexander Bublik‘s erratic volleys. These twists weave resilience into Vienna’s narrative, positioning Musetti’s steady hand as a model for navigating the ATP 500’s closing drama toward year-end glory.
