Lorenzo Musetti says what Alexander Zverev did poorly against him and pinpoints when he became ‘destabilised’ in their Italian Open match

In the Italian Open 2025 quarter-final on May 14, Lorenzo Musetti defeated defending champion Alexander Zverev 7-6(1), 6-4, advancing to the semifinals. Post-match, Musetti pinpointed Zverev’s struggles, noting that the German became “destabilised” after failing to capitalize on three consecutive set points at 5-4, 40/0 in the first set. Musetti explained that Zverev’s inability to close out the set shifted the momentum, as he fought back to level at 5-5 and dominated the tiebreak, winning 11 of 12 points through 5/0. “I felt the adrenaline and energy from the first point, even if it was not an easy start,” Musetti said, crediting the home crowd’s support for boosting his resilience. He highlighted his tactical variety, particularly his use of 20 drop shots (winning 15), with nine forehand drop shots in the first set alone, which disrupted Zverev’s rhythm. Musetti noted that Zverev struggled to adjust to his unpredictable shot-making, saying, “I managed to come back and find a way, and that’s the key of this match.” Zverev’s frustration was evident post-match, as he criticized Musetti’s defensive style and the tournament balls, claiming they hindered his aggressive play. Musetti’s strategic brilliance, especially after surviving the critical 5-4 game, left Zverev “constantly on his toes,” securing Musetti’s third win in their 3-1 head-to-head and a historic semifinal berth as the third Italian men’s singles semi-finalist this century at the Foro Italico