18-Year-Old Musetti Marches Past Cuevas In Sardinia
Things just keep getting better for #NextGenATP Italian Lorenzo Musetti. One month ago, the 18-year-old didn’t own a win against a Top 100 opponent. Now, he has seven of them.
Musetti upset eighth seed Pablo Cuevas 7-6(4), 7-5 in two hours and 12 minutes on Monday to reach the second round of the Forte Village Sardegna Open. Neither man earned a break point in the first set. Despite getting broken in two consecutive service games in the second set, Musetti weathered the Uruguayan’s storm to triumph.
“Pablo is a clay player and a really tough player with a lot of experience,” Musetti said. “I knew from the beginning it would be really tough tennis.”
The teen won 50 per cent of his return points in the second set and broke Cuevas’ serve three times from eight opportunities. The wild card will next play countryman Andrea Pellegrino, who led 4-6, 7-6(7), 3-0 when his opponent, Stefano Travaglia, retired due to a headache.
[WATCH LIVE 3]Seventh seed Tommy Paul rallied for a 5-7, 6-3, 7-5 victory against lucky loser Andrej Martin after two hours and 39 minutes. The American trailed 0-5 in the deciding set and saved two match points en route to his triumph.
Paul will next challenge an Italian: 2018 Roland Garros semi-finalist Marco Cecchinato or Gianluca Mager, this year’s Rio Open presented by Claro finalist.
Czech Jiri Vesely struck seven aces en route to a 6-1, 7-5 victory against Poland’s Kamil Majchrzak. The lefty won 77 per cent of his first-serve points and earned five service breaks to advance. He will play fifth seed Lorenzo Sonego or Italian wild card Giulio Zeppieri for a spot in the quarter-finals.