By Richard Pagliaro Sunday, December 28, 2025
Photo credit: Rob Newell/CameraSport
A streaking run Lorenzo Musetti Rush towards that blurry ball and seem to have transcended it.
When Musetti goes all out, a traditional shoot is just a platform for imaginative aerial acrobatics.
Musetti conjures up a series of mid-range high balls Carlos Alcaraz Returning to the baseline, he played a midfield ball of his own, only to see the Italian tap in a volley winner like yellow paint on a blue canvas.
In the days of the ATP Destroyer, Musetti was a hitting artist who could make the ball dance with curved spins that had even the world’s top players applauding.
This season, Musetti took the first set from Alcaraz in the French Open semifinals before retiring after trailing two sets to one.
Musetti won 18 of 26 matches, including finals in Chengdu and Athens, and reached the year-end Nitto ATP Finals for the first time since Novak Djokovic withdrew.
Musetti, ranked No. 8 in the world, is an all-around artist with a gambler’s rushing feel.
Musetti, 23, plans to satisfy both passions when he competes in the MGM Grand Slam in Las Vegas on March 1.
An elite group of eight will compete at the MGM Grand Slam at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Led by the sixth-ranked team in the ATP world and number one in the United States Taylor Fritza 10-point tiebreaker knockout singles format will begin at 4 p.m. Pacific Time.
Joining the ranks of former US Open finalists will be fellow Americans Tommy Paulnorwegian superstar Caspar RuddBattle of the Sexes Winner Nick Kyrgiosgorgeous brazilian Joao Fonsecafunny french guy Gael Monfilslob master Alexander Bublik (Alexander Bublik), Olympic bronze medalist Musettihe plans to go to the casino during his break.
Tickets for the MGM Grand Slam are on sale through: AXS.com Now.
Closing the distance between his body and the baseline is a challenge Musetti faces as he tries to close the gap on No. 1 Alcaraz and No. 2 Yannik Sinner, who swept Musetti in the U.S. Open quarterfinals in September. Can Musetti build up his stamina, get a little more involved on faster surfaces and use his versatility and all-court intelligence to challenge the world’s top two, who have won eight consecutive Grand Slam titles?
It will definitely be interesting to find out.
Two days after Christmas, we interviewed Musetti, the father of two children, for this Zoom call. Muse discusses his 2026 goals, what he learned from facing Alcaraz, his tennis inspirations and parenting lessons.
Tennis Now: Lorenzo, what drew you to the MGM Grand in March? What are you most excited to see and do when you’re in Las Vegas?
Lorenzo Musetti: Well, I think this format is pretty cool. Pretty fast. I think this area is quite deep as well. We have a lot of big names like Fritz, Fonseca, Tommy Paul. I think the fact that everyone was doing the exhibition before Indian Wells attracted me.
Especially in a place like Las Vegas. It’s the perfect city to host an exhibition, a tennis show, and it’s where I want to be. I have always dreamed of going to a casino in Las Vegas. I think everyone – once in a lifetime – has to do this. so i thought i would go [to a casino] Just to have fun out there with my team.
Tennis Now: Lorenzo, in 2019 you won the Australian Open junior title. This is a great game. What are your goals for the 2026 season? Speaking of Melbourne, are the venues here suitable for your game, or do you need to go deeper into AO and make some adjustments like you did in Paris, London and New York?
Lorenzo Musetti: Well, of course, I have a lot of great memories from the 2019 Australian Open -[winning] The title of the junior group. Of course, I think, starting as a teenager, you get a lot of game time.
Now I’m playing professional tennis and I’ve never played my best tennis in Australia. I had some good games at the beginning of the year, including losing to [Ben] Sheldon, great game. But I think I can do better. I’ve improved a lot this year on hard courts.
So, we worked really hard to adapt my game. I don’t want to say “hard court specialist”, but more of an aggressive style, so I think it’s a good fit for Australia. So hopefully I can start with really aggressive tennis and that can really open up all the opportunities.
Tennis Now: You had a great match against Carlos in the French Open semifinals. What is the most enjoyable and exciting aspect of playing against Carlos? What was the biggest challenge playing against Carlos?
Lorenzo Musetti: Thanks. Especially on clay, Carlos has proven that he is the best player so far this year. Because he won almost every competition he entered. You know, I have a huge challenge to win a set.
Playing at this level is really challenging and demanding on my body. This is something I want to do better for myself. That’s what I’m doing and working very hard to improve.
What I love most about playing against Carlos is that every time I get on the court with him, I get something out of it, you know? Technical, tactical, especially physical and mental. For example, when I played against Janik at the US Open, it was a loss, a tough loss of course, but it gives you motivation to get to the level and try to close the gap between me and them.
Tennis Now: Your playing style is very elegant, free and graceful. Who is the player who has influenced your style the most? What brings you the most joy competing at the highest level of the sport?
Lorenzo Musetti: Of course, Roger. Ever since I was a kid, ever since I started playing tennis, I’ve always been inspired by Federer.
So Roger has always been – he still is – my idol.
Of course, it’s a dream to compete at this level – it’s been a childhood dream of mine. I have the opportunity to live the life I’ve always dreamed of. I think having my family behind me at a young age was a perfect combination.
Tennis Now: This year you became a father for the second time. What is the most beautiful or important lesson you’ve learned about fatherhood?
Lorenzo Musetti: This is a good question.
I think the best lesson is that what you show at home or in everyday life, kids will imitate you.
So that gives me a lot of motivation to not do bad things on the court. I also have a point where my behavior on the field is a little nervous at times. I’ve made some progress in that area and hopefully even next season I can make some progress because I want to be a role model. Not just for my kids, but for kids out there who are taking up tennis and dreaming of becoming tennis players.
Tennis Now: Last question: You’ve played in the semifinals at Roland Garros and Wimbledon, and of course the quarterfinals at the U.S. Open. If you could reach the final of any Grand Slam tournament, which one would you choose? Which Grand Slam do you think your game is best suited for?
Lorenzo Musetti: Well, of course I think Wimbledon has always been my favorite Grand Slam to play on the court.
Because off the court, I think Australia is really beautiful. I mean every Grand Slam is unique because they are different.
But what I see in the shoes is more Roland Garros on clay, which is probably my favorite surface.
