ATP 250 Athens F: Lorenzo Musetti v Novak Djokovic

[Rosstour]

Sorry, meant to say 1-9 but it came out wrong. Still think he's a bit of a basket case against Djokovic though.

It’s hard not to be; but he obviously has the game for it and he makes Djoko very uncomfortable in their matches. He should be winning them. I suppose this was progress, in that he didn’t just vacate in the third set.

 

[DSH]

It’s hard not to be; but he obviously has the game for it and he makes Djoko very uncomfortable in their matches. He should be winning them. I suppose this was progress, in that he didn’t just vacate in the third set.

Isn't it embarrassing that a 23-year-old player has such a poor record against someone in his late 30s?

 

[roysid]

Musetti was asked his thought about Novak withdrawing at last moment. Of course, he gave a non controversial answer.
The real question should have been..did you have a brain fade to play 1 week before atp finals

Novak Djokovic and Lorenzo Musetti "had a laugh" about surreal final days of ATP Finals race | Tennis.com

"I think Novak, he was completely in the rules of the ATP, of the tournament itself," said Musetti of the Serb's last-minute withdrawal.

www.tennis.com

 

[roysid]

Isn't it embarrassing that a 23-year-old player has such a poor record against someone in his late 30s?

Its not 23 yr old or whatsoever. Novak is very good at exposing someones vulnerabilities, particularly those with weak backhand.
Healthy novak beats everyone including fritz, zverev too. So its not a big shame

 

[BernetExpress]

I mostly agree but the H2H is 1-9, Musetti got him in 3 at Monte Carlo in 2023. So it can be done



I think in this case it’s less about one match and more about Djoko being the obstacle Musetti needs to clear in order to achieve his potential. Beating Sinner and Alcaraz isn’t it, those guys are who they are. Musetti will never be the favorite against them, but he should be the favorite against Djoko and winning these matches.

Remember Federer couldn’t become Fed until he figured out Nalbandian. This is similar to me, if Musetti figures Djoko out, then he’s safely the Third Man, the Murray to the Big 3.

But if he can’t get past the gatekeeper then he won’t even be meeting Alcaraz and Sinner. Zverev is also a gatekeeper to Musetti, but less so than Djoko

That MC 23 match was one of the worst matches weather wise I’ve ever seen. Almost unplayable that day. Wouldn’t put much weight on that W.

 

[Genie Of the Bank]

Djokovic will decline even further next season.
Sinner and Alcaraz will no longer be the only ones standing in his way in the GS tournaments.
Other players of lower rank than them may be able to beat the 39-year-old Serbian.

3 x 250 titles are very possible + maybe one masters, at slams he needs Janik to lose to someone else and Carlos to be slightly fatigue .
Novak is a step slower from the knee operation but still his mental toughness is enough to reach the semis of a slam.

 

[Golden-24]

Adelaïde last year vs Korda, Geneva vs Hurkacz and Athens vs Musetti might be 3 of the best and most unforgettable recent finals in 250. I don't mind if he plays more ATP250 and 500 next year and 2027-2028. It's not like he doesn't have the records in Grand Slams, ATP1000 and ATP Finals. Federer's 103 and Connors' 109 may be the last big record he doesn't have and can possibly reach. I totally understand his choice if he decides to skip 1000 and play more 250 to increase his title number and have better warmups for Grand Slams.

 

[BernetExpress]

Adelaïde last year vs Korda, Geneva vs Hurkacz and Athens vs Musetti might be 3 of the best and most unforgettable recent finals in 250. I don't mind if he plays more ATP250 and 500 next year and 2027-2028. It's not like he doesn't have the records in Grand Slams, ATP1000 and ATP Finals. Federer's 103 and Connors' 109 may be the last big record he doesn't have and can possibly reach. I totally understand his choice if he decides to skip 1000 and play more 250 to increase his title number and have better warmups for Grand Slams.

I doubt Novak wants to get those records solely from snagging 250’s. It’s more likely he plays less 250’s(4 in 2025, 0 in 2024) to rest for slams and masters. Just needs a tournament like Paris where Carlos and Jannik are out and he can stay healthy to snag slam 25.

 

[EddieChang]

Musetti so close to earning a YEC spot. Interesting that FAA refused a wild card which, if he won one or two rounds, would ensure the last spot even if Musetti won the tourney.

faa would need to win 3 matches and withdraw in the final to ensure the spot why would he do that when he knows musetti has a around 20 percent of winning athens given it is a hard court and djokovic is playing (backed up by the pretornament odds) in addition to a reasonable possibility that djokovic will withdraw from atp finals

 

[EddieChang]

faa would need to win 3 matches and withdraw in the final to ensure the spot why would he do that when he knows musetti has a around 20 percent of winning athens given it is a hard court and djokovic is playing (backed up by the pretornament odds) in addition to a reasonable possibility that djokovic will withdraw from atp finals

it is extremely taxing to participate a tournament vs training for Turin not to mention winning 3 matches in a row on tour is never a given (look how hard Musetti has to play to beat Korda in the semis and even against Stan in R16)

 

[tennis24x7]

It’s hard not to be; but he obviously has the game for it and he makes Djoko very uncomfortable in their matches. He should be winning them. I suppose this was progress, in that he didn’t just vacate in the third set.

Fritz says hold my beer.

 

[Zeref123]

I mostly agree but the H2H is 1-9, Musetti got him in 3 at Monte Carlo in 2023. So it can be done



I think in this case it’s less about one match and more about Djoko being the obstacle Musetti needs to clear in order to achieve his potential. Beating Sinner and Alcaraz isn’t it, those guys are who they are. Musetti will never be the favorite against them, but he should be the favorite against Djoko and winning these matches.

Remember Federer couldn’t become Fed until he figured out Nalbandian. This is similar to me, if Musetti figures Djoko out, then he’s safely the Third Man, the Murray to the Big 3.

But if he can’t get past the gatekeeper then he won’t even be meeting Alcaraz and Sinner. Zverev is also a gatekeeper to Musetti, but less so than Djoko

when musetti will start beating djoko, if ever, it will be due to age, not because he figured nole out. Couldnt beat nole at 38 and almost 6 months old (in athens the match was on his worst surface but a loss is still a loss).

 

[Zeref123]

Djokovic will decline even further next season.
Sinner and Alcaraz will no longer be the only ones standing in his way in the GS tournaments.
Other players of lower rank than them may be able to beat the 39-year-old Serbian.

The only players who were somewhat relevant at age 39, as far as I remember, in the Open Era were Rosewall and JImmy Connors (although the latter only at the USO), not even Federer was competitive in 2020. It will be hard for novak, even winning a 250 at 39 is an impressive feat, let alone a big title.

 

[Rosstour]

when musetti will start beating djoko, if ever, it will be due to age, not because he figured nole out. Couldnt beat nole at 38 and almost 6 months old (in athens the match was on his worst surface but a loss is still a loss).

Great, my point still stands. Musetti has to get fully past Djoko and any other gatekeepers to reach his potential (which, to be clear, is only a sometime rival to the B2)

If he can’t do that then he risks the same fate as the Little 4, being the bridesmaid dozens of times before getting leapfrogged by younger phenoms