In the sun-kissed principality of Monaco, Carlos Alcaraz unleashed a performance that reverberated through the tennis world, clinching his first Monte Carlo Masters title with a stunning comeback against Lorenzo Musetti. The 21-year-old Spaniard, already a four-time Grand Slam champion, battled from a set down to secure a 3-6, 6-1, 6-0 victory, earning his sixth Masters 1000 crown and a significant leap in the ATP rankings. This triumph, his second title of 2025 after Rotterdam, not only silenced doubts about his recent form but also propelled him past Alexander Zverev to reclaim the world No. 2 spot, setting the stage for a thrilling clay-court season.
The final began with Musetti, a 23-year-old Italian making his maiden Masters 1000 final, seizing the initiative. His elegant one-handed backhand and clever drop shots exploited Alcaraz’s early errors—14 unforced in the first set, 11 from the forehand—to take it 6-3. The Monte Carlo crowd, heavily Italian given Musetti’s residence in the region, roared their approval. But Alcaraz, whose resilience is as much a hallmark as his blistering forehand, found his rhythm in the second set. “I just had to be patient and believe that this moment was going to come again,” he later said, reflecting on his journey through a challenging year. A thunderous “vamos” erupted as he broke Musetti’s serve early, his movement crisp and his shots landing with newfound precision. He rattled off five straight games, saving five break points in a gritty eight-minute hold to level the match 6-1.
The deciding set, however, took a poignant turn. Musetti, who had endured four three-setters en route to the final—including upsets over Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alex de Minaur—began to unravel physically. A right thigh injury surfaced, forcing a physio visit at 0-3. His mobility faded, and Alcaraz, while empathetic, stayed ruthless, closing out a 6-0 set in just 24 minutes. “This is not the way I would have wanted to win a match,” Alcaraz said, his voice tinged with compassion. “Thinking about Lorenzo, he has been through a tough week, played long matches. I feel sorry for him.” The victory, sealed with a pinpoint crosscourt forehand after 1 hour and 47 minutes, marked Alcaraz’s 18th tour-level title and his first Masters 1000 triumph since Indian Wells in March 2024.
This Monte Carlo run was a redemption arc for Alcaraz, who had stumbled in recent months. A nervy semifinal loss to Jack Draper at Indian Wells and a shock opening-round defeat to David Goffin in Miami had raised questions about his consistency. “It’s been a really difficult week with a lot of difficult situations,” he admitted, alluding to the mental hurdles he’d faced. Yet, the clay of Monte Carlo, where he’d lost his only prior match in 2022, seemed to rekindle his spark. His path wasn’t smooth—a three-set thriller against Arthur Fils in the quarterfinals tested his nerve, while a 7-6(2), 6-4 semifinal win over Alejandro Davidovich Fokina demanded focus. “I knew how well Davidovich Fokina had played in Monte Carlo, so I had to be ready to fight,” he said, underscoring his preparation.
For Musetti, the loss was bittersweet but transformative. His run, capped by a career-high No. 11 ranking, showcased his clay-court prowess, honed by a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics and past wins over Novak Djokovic in Monte Carlo. “At the beginning of the week, I was of course dreaming to be in final,” he said, a mix of pride and disappointment in his words. For Alcaraz, the victory aligns him with Spanish legends like Rafael Nadal, who won Monte Carlo 11 times, and Juan Carlos Ferrero, his coach. With the French Open looming, where he’s the defending champion, Alcaraz’s latest triumph—his third straight clay final after Roland Garros and the Olympics—signals he’s ready to dominate the red dirt once more.