Lorenzo wins the first set on the fast indoor Dutch team then loses in the third with two tie breaks to the host
A defeat that hurts for Musetti. The tennis player from Carrara loses in the first round of the 500 in Rotterdam, continuing his complicated start to the season: if in the previous four tournaments he had stopped at the second match, Lorenzo immediately goes out in the Netherlands, suffering a comeback from the host Tallon Griekspoor and losing at the third set tie break (3-6 7-6 7-6) after having had two match points in response at 6-5 in the decisive set. The match turned in the second set, but also in the third Musetti found himself ahead by a break: fifth defeat in nine matches in 2024, Griekspoor will face one of Hubi Hurkacz (seeded number 4) or Jiri Lehecka in the second round.
PAINFUL DEFEAT
—
Griekspoor reached the semi-final in Rotterdam last year (defeated against Jannik Sinner, 7-5 7-6) and was close to saying goodbye to the tournament straight away in this edition. But despite a fluctuating performance, with some confusion from a tactical point of view, the world number 29 beat a player who is three places ahead of him in the rankings. Musetti at times offered a better performance compared to the Marseille tournament (an uninspiring victory against Marterer and defeat against Machac) but continues to be inconsistent: he didn’t shake off his opponent and in the end he gave in. The shame was that he dropped his serve during the match: in the final stages of the second set he was at 34/37 with the first, then he closed with 52/70.
THE MATCH
—
The first set is decided by a break, in the fourth game. Musetti also has four chances in response in the eighth game, he doesn’t take advantage of them but closes in the following serve, without allowing break points in the entire set. The second set is a battle, balanced: we reach the tie break after two break points not exploited by Lorenzo in the third game and a set point not realized by Griekspoor, the first break point of the match, at 6-5. At the tie break, after an advantageous start, the Tuscan fades away: the Dutch closes on the fourth set point. Script that repeats itself in the third set: Musetti ahead by a break at the start and resumed by Griekspoor, who impacts on 4-4 from 4-2. The match was decided at the tie break, with Lorenzo having two match points at 6-5 in response, canceled out by an ace and a winning volley. The Dutchman serves great, Musetti gives in: 7-3 Griekspoor in the tie break. The Tuscan will now move to Doha.
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED