Lorenzo comes from behind to win the first set at the tie break and then loses 6-2 6-1 to Kecmanovic. We are hanging on Jannik
– RUM RAISIN
Italy has one foot out of the Davis Cup. Lorenzo Musetti starts well then collapses under the weight of tiredness and pressure on a Miomir Kecmanovic who is always on point. The Serbian wins the first point for his country 6-7(7) 6-2 6-1. Now we are hanging on Jannik Sinner who has the arduous task of keeping us alive against Novak Djokovic.
THE MATCH
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Lorenzo starts off very tense and in fact immediately suffers a break, an ice-cold shower. However, he is good at not getting carried away by negativity and tries to react until the end, until the 10th game when the Serbian serves for the first set: passer-magic backhand from Musetti who immediately takes 0-30 on the Serbian serve. Kecmanovic halves the deficit with a first winner, then again a marvel, this time with a forehand, from Muso who has two balls of 5-5. The first is canceled out by a forehand winner, then another tight forehand and it’s an Italy counterbreak. The first set was decided in a tie break, which was exhausting. Serbia was immediately ahead 3-1 thanks to the minibreak granted by Musetti who was not assisted by the first serve. Lorenzo stays attached, 3-2, and immediately after hits a forehand winner to recover the deficit: 3-3. Another minibreak from the blue who lets go of his arm on the backhand down the line, 4-3. He goes up 5-3, then a double fault puts the Serbian back on track, 5-4 and serve. The blue’s backhand goes off into the net and Kecmanovic is back level 5-5. Backhand feat and set point Italy. Nothing to do, Musetti gives up the lead and it’s 6-6 again. Another set point for Italy on a Serbian serve, again level: 7-7. Lorenzo’s forehand pinches Kecmanovic’s left, it’s set point again. And this time the blue joy explodes, 7-6(7).
THE SECOND SET
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In the 6th game of the second set Musetti gets back up to the advantage, then with a winning serve he has the ball to make it 3-3. Long exchange that ends with a volley outside the Italian who returns 40-40. And this time it’s Kecmanovic who has the chance to break. Lungolinea painted with a forehand by Musetti that cancels out the Serbian ambitions. This time Lorenzo’s forehand lands in the net, Serbia returns to break point, Musetti’s backhand doesn’t pass and suffers the break, 4-2 for the Serbians. From there, the lights go out in the Musetti house: a haemorrhage of seven games in a row that puts Kecmanovic ahead by 2 breaks. Down 4-0 he calls for physio due to a problem with his left thigh. The bleeding doesn’t stop, the games in a row become 9, he loses 6-1. We are hanging on Jannik.