Lorenzo Musetti Ignored Coach’s Advice to Retire in Monte-Carlo Masters Final
Lorenzo Musetti’s remarkable run at the Monte-Carlo Masters ended in heartbreak after the Italian was urged by his coach to retire mid-final due to injury—but chose to finish the match instead.
The 24-year-old world No. 16 stunned fans by reaching his first Masters 1000 final, where he faced Carlos Alcaraz. Musetti took the opening set 6-3 but struggled physically as the match progressed, eventually losing 3-6, 6-1, 6-0.
After the match, Musetti’s coach and long-time mentor, Simone Tartarini, revealed that his player had been dealing with a quadriceps issue even before the final began.
“He already had a small problem during the warm-up,” Tartarini told Ubitennis. “We took precautions, but during the match, the pain increased. After the first set, he was already hurting, and by the second set, I told him to stop.”
Despite the pain and his coach’s insistence, Musetti refused to retire. “He stayed on the court just for form’s sake,” Tartarini said. “I told him it was over, but he wanted to finish.”
Musetti has since withdrawn from the upcoming Barcelona Open and will undergo scans to determine the extent of the injury. The Italian, who is expected to rise to a career-high ranking of No. 11, later explained his decision:
“I couldn’t really play anymore, but in a final, I didn’t want to quit. It was probably the best way to finish, even if I was barely able to move.”
His run to the final included multiple three-set matches, including a tough semi-final win over Alex de Minaur less than 24 hours before facing Alcaraz. Musetti’s determination was evident—even as his body gave out, his spirit did not.
