Should Musetti get a new coach?

Olli Jokinen

Olli Jokinen

Hall of Fame
He is extremely talented, but there is something seriously wrong with his attitude when the going gets tough. He has the weapons but especially the forehand tends to fly everywhere when he's losing. Also, he has problems closing out games, at his volleys tend to be a bit erratic. Who could fix this? Lendl? Someone else? I think his current coach has taken him as far as he can. Time to upgrade. Waddayathink?
 
Jack the Hack

Jack the Hack

Hall of Fame
Olli Jokinen said:
He is extremely talented, but there is something seriously wrong with his attitude when the going gets tough.
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Maybe I am being too harsh to judge him like this, but I watched him play live against a journeyman pro at Indian Wells a couple years ago and Musetti just completely quit in the match when things got tough. He showed zero effort going after shots, while also whining, complaining, and smashing his racquets. Instead of problem solving and coming up with a new strategy to try to win, he just bailed for the entire final set like a spoiled junior. I don't often see players that go on to become Slam winners that show a lack of grit and fight like Lorenzo showed that day.

Musetti is only 21, so it's too early and unfair to write him off yet. Maybe he just had a bad day and I happened to witness it. However, to answer the OP question, I believe that no coach can cause you to have motivation and fight if you don't already have it within yourself. Perhaps Lorenzo actually does have the moxy to be a top 10 or top 5 player, and he just needs the right guy to unlock it for him. If so, I'm not sure who it is that will click with him best. Who did Musetti admire growing up? Would a tough love grinder coach like Magnus Norman be the right fit? I don't know him well enough to know.
 
H

helterskelter

G.O.A.T.
On a serious note, I really don't think he's doing badly at all. He's number 18 in the world and only two of the top 17 are younger than him. (Indeed, only five of the top 100 are younger than him - Sinner turns 22 today and Lehecka is four months older than Musetti). He'll probably make the top eight at some point and make one or more slam semi and one or more masters' final. He might achieve more than that. It's hard to tell. But that seems like a reasonable expectation and is a perfectly good career. It's hard to make the very top of the game with his playing style. Perhaps he'll win Roland Garros one day.
 
Jack the Hack

Jack the Hack

Hall of Fame
helterskelter said:
On a serious note, I really don't think he's doing badly at all. He's number 18 in the world and only two of the top 17 are younger than him. (Indeed, only five of the top 100 are younger than him - Sinner turns 22 today and Lehecka is four months older than Musetti). He'll probably make the top eight at some point and make one or more slam semi and one or more masters' final. He might achieve more than that. It's hard to tell. But that seems like a reasonable expectation and is a perfectly good career. It's hard to make the very top of the game with his playing style. Perhaps he'll win Roland Garros one day.
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That's a reasonable way of looking at his current situation and potential. If I had to compare Musetti with another player, I'd pick Richard Gasquet, who has a similar playing style, one-handed backhand, and forehand issues. Like Musetti, Gasquet was a very talented junior prodigy and what you wrote describes what occurred in Gasquet's career.
 
Rosstour

Rosstour

G.O.A.T.
mike danny said:
Seems more like a Gasquet-like FH.
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Jack the Hack said:
That's a reasonable way of looking at his current situation and potential. If I had to compare Musetti with another player, I'd pick Richard Gasquet, who has a similar playing style, one-handed backhand, and forehand issues. Like Musetti, Gasquet was a very talented junior prodigy and what you wrote describes what occurred in Gasquet's career.
Click to expand...

Gasquet's FH was just weak. Musetti's is a monster, it's just erratic.

Jack the Hack said:
Maybe I am being too harsh to judge him like this, but I watched him play live against a journeyman pro at Indian Wells a couple years ago and Musetti just completely quit in the match when things got tough. He showed zero effort going after shots, while also whining, complaining, and smashing his racquets. Instead of problem solving and coming up with a new strategy to try to win, he just bailed for the entire final set like a spoiled junior. I don't often see players that go on to become Slam winners that show a lack of grit and fight like Lorenzo showed that day.

Musetti is only 21, so it's too early and unfair to write him off yet. Maybe he just had a bad day and I happened to witness it. However, to answer the OP question, I believe that no coach can cause you to have motivation and fight if you don't already have it within yourself. Perhaps Lorenzo actually does have the moxy to be a top 10 or top 5 player, and he just needs the right guy to unlock it for him. If so, I'm not sure who it is that will click with him best. Who did Musetti admire growing up? Would a tough love grinder coach like Magnus Norman be the right fit? I don't know him well enough to know.
Click to expand...

Musetti idolized Fed growing up, lol

Jack the Hack said:
That's a reasonable way of looking at his current situation and potential. If I had to compare Musetti with another player, I'd pick Richard Gasquet, who has a similar playing style, one-handed backhand, and forehand issues. Like Musetti, Gasquet was a very talented junior prodigy and what you wrote describes what occurred in Gasquet's career.
Click to expand...
 
A

Alley

New User
So many top players are struggling right now, Musetti, Ruud, FAA, Berrettini etc. Even Alcaraz is in a slump. I guess it's normal after a long season? Only the best will "survive".
 
Jack the Hack

Jack the Hack

Hall of Fame
Rosstour said:
Musetti idolized Fed growing up, lol
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The reason I was wondering who Musetti idolized was because sometimes those former idols are coaching and can provide the voice the player needs to get better. For example, when Fed brought Edberg in for coaching to get some additional motivation mid-career.

Anyway, Fed ain't going to coach Musetti! :laughing:
 
Olli Jokinen

Olli Jokinen

Hall of Fame
Jack the Hack said:
That's a reasonable way of looking at his current situation and potential. If I had to compare Musetti with another player, I'd pick Richard Gasquet, who has a similar playing style, one-handed backhand, and forehand issues. Like Musetti, Gasquet was a very talented junior prodigy and what you wrote describes what occurred in Gasquet's career.
Click to expand...
Musettis forehand is miles ahead of Gasquet's. It's a real weapon, but unreliable when he's having a bad day. Seen him destroy Tiafoe in Rome. Very impressive shot when on.
 
Kralingen

Kralingen

Talk Tennis Guru
Olli Jokinen said:
Musettis forehand is miles ahead of Gasquet's. It's a real weapon, but unreliable when he's having a bad day. Seen him destroy Tiafoe in Rome. Very impressive shot when on.
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I agree, his FH can be a great shot when given time. When not given time though…

Anyways, il Mago has some bigger fish to try. What is far more concerning to me than the FH is the serve.
 
Olli Jokinen

Olli Jokinen

Hall of Fame
Kralingen said:
I agree, his FH can be a great shot when given time. When not given time though…

Anyways, il Mago has some bigger fish to try. What is far more concerning to me than the FH is the serve.
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Yes, should be better. Often very low 1st serve percentage, and his second serve isn't giving him much to work with.
 
Hitman

Hitman

Bionic Poster
Muestti has got the flair and dazzling effect with his game, but some of his losses recently have just been plain awful to see. He is much better than that, he needs help to get it all together.
 
S

Start da Game

Hall of Fame
whatever happened to coaching teams across the globe, forehand is supposed to be the better groundstroke by miles for a men's tennis player......quite often these days we see even top pros with butter forehands......the same is the case with this lad......if you are touted to become one of the best of your generation, you cannot lack the ability to dictate play with your forehand......it is as simple as that......all your coaches and you have collectively failed to develop your forehand......
 
A

Arak

Legend
Musetti is very Italian. He wants to show off and play attractive tennis, without too much effort. He has to look handsome and he needs to have a nonchalant attitude with a charming smile showing his perfect teeth. Winning would be a bonus, but not an absolute necessity.
 
Olli Jokinen

Olli Jokinen

Hall of Fame
Start da Game said:
whatever happened to coaching teams across the globe, forehand is supposed to be the better groundstroke by miles for a men's tennis player......quite often these days we see even top pros with butter forehands......the same is the case with this lad......if you are touted to become one of the best of your generation, you cannot lack the ability to dictate play with your forehand......it is as simple as that......all your coaches and you have collectively failed to develop your forehand......
Click to expand...
Musetti's forehand is better than his backhand, same with Rune. His backhand is just very pretty and people – wrongfully – tend to see it as the better shot. By the way, all this "....." is making your post unreadable. Please use periods for better readability. Thank you. Period.
 
Knife

Knife

Semi-Pro
Jack the Hack said:
That's a reasonable way of looking at his current situation and potential. If I had to compare Musetti with another player, I'd pick Richard Gasquet, who has a similar playing style, one-handed backhand, and forehand issues. Like Musetti, Gasquet was a very talented junior prodigy and what you wrote describes what occurred in Gasquet's career.
Click to expand...

I understand your Gasquet / Musetti comparison in their style of play. They both spend too much time too far behind the baseline and get pushed from side to side and overpowered, especially on faster surfaces. As to the forehand of Musetti, it can be a weapon when he's given time with that big swing. It's much worse under pressure, producing far too many errors. Gasquets fh is rarely a threat, it's mostly there to get balls back and stay alive in rallies.
 
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