By Richard Pagliaro Monday, November 10, 2025
Photo source: ATP Finals Facebook
italian fans hugging Lorenzo Musetti He let out a loud roar as he walked onto the court for his ATP Finals debut.
a ruthless Taylor Fritz Musetti and the Turin fans were silenced for the next 100 minutes.
Fritz overcame Musetti’s miraculous hands, defeating the Italian shooter 6-3, 6-4 in the first round-robin match of the ATP Finals.
Based on match win-loss record, 2024 finalist Fritz moves to the top of the Jimmy Connors bracket, joining Carlos Alcaraz The round-robin record is 1-0. Alcaraz defeated Alex De Minaur yesterday 7-6(5), 6-2.
A focused Fritz hit 13 aces, made no double faults and saved all four break points he faced. Fritz ended a three-match losing streak against Musetti that included a painful 3-6, 7-6(5), 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 loss in the 2024 Wimbledon quarterfinals when the Californian led by a set and a break but was confused by Musetti dragging him forward with a short volley.
Today, Fritz killed the spin doctor’s skill at changing angles and depth. Musetti saved a match point in the ninth game and then led 30-3 on Fritz’s serve.
Under pressure on serve for the first time in the second set, Fritz dropped the hammer, hit consecutive aces, and ended the game with a gorgeous forehand winner in the 42nd minute.
Statement begins💪@Taylor_Fritz97 Defeated home favorite Musetti 6-3 6-4 and started his Turin journey with a victory✅#NittoATP Finals pic.twitter.com/HJKEsXfmk1
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) November 10, 2025
“I think I want to play against him on a fast pitch,” Fritz told Prakash Amritraj of Tennis Channel after. “I think what I wanted to do against him on a slow pitch was difficult to do. Obviously, he did get me one time at Wimbledon, but I think the grass helped him a little bit too, he was just dead ball and I always had to lift the ball and couldn’t put it away.
“I feel like the speed of this pitch is so fast that when he’s cutting it, I can feel like I don’t have to redline off his cutter to hurt him and be aggressive. So I think the speed of the pitch definitely plays a big role in me being able to get to him and attack.”
Musetti faced constant pressure on his serve, fighting off 10 of 12 break points as he battled fatigue from heading into Saturday’s final in Athens. Musetti was successful, but Fritz was calling the shots in all areas of the court, including winning 10 of 14 attempts at the net, and repeatedly using the Italian’s own lob skills against him.
The last man to qualify for Turin earned the first break point opportunity of the match. Musetti saved all four break points in the third game. Fritz hit an ace to eliminate the fourth break point, and then hit an ace to enter the Ad-In and hold on 2-1.
In the subsequent game, the almost achieved breakthrough troubled Musetti, who wasted a 40-30 lead.
Court positioning was key today, as Fritz lingered near the baseline and blasted a backhand shot near the baseline for his second break point. Musetti scored a hard volley and Fritz scored for a 3-1 lead.
The sixth seed hit a jumping smash to break serve at 4-1.
Fritz hit back and hit his fourth ace, then hit a sharp serve on the T-shaped table, ending the 48-minute first set with his second consecutive love hold.
Fritz won 10 consecutive service points and took a set lead.
Although Musetti served 64% of the time in that set, Fritz kept the Italian under almost constant pressure. The American earned break points in three of Musetti’s four service games.
At the start of the second set, Fritz pushed Musetti into a hidden position behind the baseline under tremendous pressure and earned four break points in the first set.
Musetti, who lost to Grand Slam king Novak Djokovic in a grueling Athens final on Saturday, was tapping his racket on his thigh. Musetti appeared to be trying to turn his racket into a defibrillator, rejuvenating his tired legs in his fifth game in the past six days.
In this adventurous game, the Italian missed an underarm serve attempt. Musetti successfully saved all four break points in a difficult 12-and-a-half-minute hold, then raised his palms in the air in a “nothing is easy today” gesture.
Sharp Fritz continues to drive hard in the corner.
The man in black double-faulted twice in a row, putting himself in a dark spot and giving Fritz another break point.
Fritz lingered at the baseline and hit an inside-out forehand to break serve and take a 2-1 lead in the second set.
The 2024 US Open finalist confirmed the break with a 3-1 love break.
Musetti saved the match point with a dash to the net and took a 4-5 lead. Fritz hit two tight shots on the next play to fall behind Love-30.
After turning back, Fritz launched a rocket, ending his career and tying Musetti with three.
“I wouldn’t say I was that calm and collected,” Fritz said. “I missed two goals, I really shouldn’t have missed those two goals, to love -30.
“So I told myself: Wow, I’m a little choked from behind, so I need to get some free points on my serve. Luckily, I hit four good serves.”
