Lorenzo Musetti and Novak Djokovic have an unusual connection. The two tennis players will meet on Thursday in the third round of the tournament in Monte Carlo, and the story of how Nole treated the young Italian in a sarcastic way is one of the more interesting ones you will read today.
Namely, during the US Open in 202, New York was hit by a big storm, because of which the organizers of the tournament had enormous problems and difficulties. A red weather alert was lit, a tornado warning was issued, and the young tennis players found themselves in a panic because, unlike the first ten tennis players, they do not have the financial resources for accommodation that would provide them with all the necessary conditions.
Novak then slyly jumped in to help young Musetti (21), so he invited him to his villa in New Jersey, and the Italian did not hide his enthusiasm and gratitude.
We were in a beautiful place in New Jersey. Novak invited me to the villa where he stays during the US Open. The house is huge, has its own park and covered tennis court. The owner is a wealthy man where Djokovic is a guest during this Grand Slam tournament. A phenomenal experience, I am grateful to him for that, said Lorenzo Musetti.
Another fun story connects Novak and Musetti. Namely, the Italian had a problem during his schooling, because he missed the tournaments in Halle and Queens because of the exams, which is why he found himself in an unenviable situation. Then Djokovic stepped in to help, who gave his private plane to Musetti. He drove him to his native Carrara, and then to London so that the young Italian could play at Wimbledon.
This will be their fourth duel between them, and Novak has three wins. they played the most difficult match during Roland Garros in 2021, when Musetti led 2:0 in sets, which he won in tie-breaks. When everyone thought that there was no way out for Novak, the Serbian tennis player “kicked into fifth gear” and managed to turn the duel in his favor. In the end, he celebrated 3:2.
Big rivals on the field, but even bigger friends off it. It will be interesting to watch their duel, which is the third on today’s program in Monte Carlo.
The live broadcast of the match is provided on TV Sport Club 1 and should start around 3:00 p.m., i.e. after the matches Hurkač (Poland) – Siner (Italy) and Djari (Chile) – Tsitsipas (Greece).
If there are no surprises, and Nole successfully passes this stage of the competition, in the quarter-finals of the Masters in Monte Carlo, he will play against the better team from the Hurkač – Siner match.
Lorenzo Musetti is playing excellently at the Masters in Monte Carlo, but unlike the previous two rounds, this Thursday Novak Djokovic, the best tennis player in the world, will be standing across from him. Lorenzo Musetti managed to win the last three sets – the second against Miomir Kecmanović in the 1st round and two against Luka Nardi in the second round of the Masters in Monte Carlo – with 6:0, 6:0.
It will certainly be difficult for him with the racket this Thursday when Novak Djokovic, the world’s number one tennis player, will be standing across from him. But the 21st racket of the planet from Italy is not thinking of going out on the court with a white flag. On the contrary…
– I have to be ready to beat the number 1, not the man who needs clay preparation. I have to go out on the field with the right mindset for something like that – Musetti said.
The two have met three times so far and the Serb has the maximum performance. The last time they crossed rackets was last year at the Masters in Paris, when Nole won 6:0, 6:3. So far, they have only met once on clay, and that’s when Musetti had to retire. It was in 2021 at Roland Garros when the Serb led 6:7, 6:7, 6:1, 6:0, 4:0 at the time of the break.
