By Novak Djokovic avenged last year’s loss to Lorenzo Musetti, defeating the Italian 7-5, 6-3 to advance to the quarter-finals at the Monte-Carlo Masters.
In a rematch of their previous encounter at the same tournament, Djokovic faced early pressure as Musetti took an early lead in the first set. However, the 24-time Grand Slam champion found his rhythm and capitalized on his opponent’s mistakes to secure victory.
Despite Musetti’s strong start and a brief comeback in the second set, Djokovic’s resilience and experience proved decisive as he sealed the win after nearly two hours of play.
Next up for Djokovic is a meeting with Alex de Minaur, who defeated Alexei Popyrin earlier in the day.
Reflecting on his performance, Djokovic acknowledged the challenges posed by Musetti and emphasized the importance of maintaining focus and aggression in key moments.
While Djokovic admitted he is not yet at his peak level, he expressed satisfaction with his performance and readiness for the upcoming matches.
As Djokovic continues his quest for his first trophy of the season, his victory over Musetti serves as a promising step forward in his clay-court preparations ahead of the French Open.
