There are a few players outside of the obvious contenders like Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz to watch out for at this season's Madrid Open, and Lorenzo Musetti is one of them. Both Djokovic and Alcaraz have faced Musetti in recent weeks, with the Italian giving each opponent a real challenge.
As Musetti gears up for another clay experience in Madrid, he's bringing some positive momentum along with him. He comes into the event with the highest ranking of his career (11) and an impressive 12-5 match record on the year.
After reaching the finals in Monte Carlo earlier this month, Musetti is seeking another finals trip in hopes of capturing his first Masters 1000 title.
Lorenzo Musetti is a sleeper on a surface he's comfortable with
The clay surface has proved to be Musetti's safe space so far in his early tennis career. This was made even more evident by his bronze medal win at last summer's Paris Olympics. It was an incredible run for Musetti and his most significant achievement yet on the professional tour.
His recent success on clay, along with his recent finals appearance at Monte Carlo, is what might make Musetti a danger in Madrid—a sleeper.
Two weeks ago, former top-ten player John Isner christened Musetti a French Open dark horse. Isner's comments came following the Monte Carlo finals, where Musetti lost to Alcaraz. A leg injury Musetti was dealing with aided the Spaniard's win.
Isner was asked about the chances of a few players at Roland Garros, including Musetti. He said, "I’ll go with Musetti, presuming he can recover from whatever was ailing him in the finals. You saw the very end with Alcaraz, he was 5-0 in the third, Musetti was not even moving at that point, so we will see how he can recover."
A potential second shot at Carlos Alcaraz
Health is Musetti's only concern heading into Madrid. He backed out of the Barcelona Open to rest his leg, and he still has a couple of days before his opening match on Friday in the round of 64. Provided Musetti's leg gives him what he needs, there is the exciting possibility that he and Alcaraz will meet again.
Both are in the same bottom half of the tournament draw. Before that could happen, though, Musetti would have to get past the likes of Alex de Minaur or Stefanos Tsitsipas. Musetti would face Tsitsipas in the round of 32 as long as both win their opening matches.
Is Musetti a favorite in Madrid? No, but he certainly is a sleeper. If he's tapped as a dark horse for Roland Garros, Madrid is an opportune place to get a jump start. Musetti has shown he can run with the best of the best. Capturing his first Masters 1000 title, or at least reaching the finals in Madrid, would further prove his case with the French Open not far away.