The many missing aces of Musetti the Magician. Can he find them in the years to come?

Will he reach the 9% combined ace rate over a single season?

  • Yes

    Votes: 2 20.0%
  • No

    Votes: 8 80.0%

  • Total voters
    10

Rovesciarete

Hall of Fame
Lorenzo has delighted us with superb strokes, fantastic hands and beautifully crafted points. However he has not been winning much over the last three years and is below 50% on hardcourt. With 185 cm he is tall enough and fairly athletic, but struggles greatly to make his serve count. Indeed over the last 3 years he has one of the lowest ace percentage on hard courts among the top 50.

So far his ace trajectory isn't good, but the serve is the most improvable area at a later stage of a career. So will he become a (much) better server or not?


RkPlayer
M​
M W%​
SPW​
SPW-InP​
Aces​
Ace%​
DF%​
1stIn​
1st%​
2nd%​
2%-InP​
Hld%​
17Lorenzo Musetti [ITA]
97
47.4%​
63.7%​
63.4%​
403​
5.6%​
2.7%​
62.8%​
70.6%​
52.2%​
56.4%​
78.3%​
9Alex De Minaur [AUS]
144
66.7%​
64.0%​
64.1%​
581​
5.6%​
3.3%​
57.1%​
71.9%​
53.6%​
58.0%​
80.2%​
3Carlos Alcaraz [ESP]
109
77.1%​
67.7%​
67.7%​
465​
5.9%​
2.9%​
65.7%​
73.3%​
57.0%​
62.3%​
86.1%​
41Alex Michelsen [USA]
50
52.0%​
63.4%​
63.2%​
244​
6.1%​
3.2%​
66.5%​
69.7%​
50.8%​
56.2%​
80.2%​
6Casper Ruud [NOR]
107
58.9%​
67.2%​
66.2%​
677​
8.3%​
2.8%​
65.0%​
74.5%​
53.6%​
58.2%​
85.3%​
13Holger Rune [DEN]
121
63.6%​
66.3%​
66.4%​
747​
8.4%​
4.4%​
62.1%​
73.7%​
54.4%​
61.4%​
84.7%​
28Jiri Lehecka [CZE]
100
56.0%​
64.6%​
63.5%​
675​
8.8%​
3.3%​
63.2%​
72.3%​
51.5%​
56.5%​
81.4%​
1Jannik Sinner [ITA]
151
85.4%​
68.5%​
67.2%​
1039​
9.3%​
2.6%​
60.3%​
76.9%​
55.8%​
59.7%​
88.1%​
 
Last edited:
Only 3 matches in 2025 but the situation is bad. For last 3 matches, his ace count is worse than double fault counts.
He is pretty good off the ground.

Indeed, it doesn't look good. Lots of untapped potential, one of the best baseliners but his serve...


Date​
Tournament​
Surface​
vRk​
DR​
A%​
DF%​
1stIn​
1st%​
2nd%​
BPSvd​
13-Jan-2025Australian OpenHard
20​
0.92​
1.7%​
2.6%​
59.5%​
73.9%​
59.6%​
3/6​
13-Jan-2025Australian OpenHard
56​
1.34​
2.7%​
3.6%​
68.5%​
76.3%​
54.3%​
4/5​
13-Jan-2025Australian OpenHard
39​
1.09​
4.1%​
3.4%​
60.5%​
62.9%​
51.7%​
8/16​
30-Dec-2024Hong KongHard
62​
1.03​
8.8%​
3.9%​
67.6%​
78.3%​
33.3%​
4/7​
30-Dec-2024Hong KongHard
87​
1.69​
12.2%​
6.1%​
75.5%​
81.1%​
58.3%​
2/2​
21-Nov-2024Davis Cup Finals QF: ITA vs ARGHard
30​
0.66​
0.0%​
3.1%​
48.4%​
51.6%​
36.4%​
7/13​
28-Oct-2024Paris MastersHard
42​
0.87​
9.6%​
3.8%​
69.2%​
58.3%​
43.8%​
1/5​
21-Oct-2024ViennaHard
18​
0.79​
3.3%​
3.3%​
66.7%​
55.0%​
30.0%​
6/11​
21-Oct-2024ViennaHard
3​
0.90​
2.0%​
1.0%​
70.3%​
64.8%​
46.7%​
8/12​
21-Oct-2024ViennaHard
52​
21-Oct-2024ViennaHard
49​
2.85​
4.7%​
0.0%​
81.4%​
82.9%​
87.5%​
0/0​
02-Oct-2024Shanghai MastersHard
66​
1.15​
4.5%​
0.0%​
65.2%​
74.1%​
41.9%​
6/10​
26-Sep-2024BeijingHard
96​
0.64​
0.0%​
5.4%​
53.6%​
46.7%​
46.2%​
3/8​
26-Sep-2024BeijingHard
74​
1.21​
5.6%​
2.2%​
61.1%​
76.4%​
71.4%​
3/4​
18-Sep-2024ChengduHard
67​
0.81​
3.3%​
0.0%​
75.4%​
60.9%​
53.3%​
2/5​
18-Sep-2024ChengduHard
252​
1.22​
4.1%​
1.4%​
71.2%​
65.4%​
66.7%​
3/3​
18-Sep-2024ChengduHard
46​
1.26​
9.0%​
2.2%​
67.4%​
76.7%​
55.2%​
3/4​
18-Sep-2024ChengduHard
75​
0.98​
6.5%​
1.9%​
75.7%​
75.3%​
42.3%​
0/3​
26-Aug-2024US OpenHard
50​
0.85​
6.6%​
4.1%​
56.2%​
69.1%​
52.8%​
6/11​
26-Aug-2024US OpenHard
54​
0.99​
7.8%​
5.9%​
65.4%​
67.0%​
47.2%​
11/18​
26-Aug-2024US OpenHard
324​
1.33​
6.1%​
5.3%​
50.0%​
75.4%​
63.2%​
3/6​
 
Lorenzo has delighted us with superb strokes, fantastic hands and beautifully crafted points. However he has not been winning much over the last three years and is below 50% on hardcourt. With 185 cm he is tall enough and fairly athletic, but struggles greatly to make his serve count. Indeed over the last 3 years he has one of the lowest ace percentage on hard courts among the top 50.

So far his ace trajectory isn't good, but the serve is the most improvable area at a later stage of a career. So will he become a (much) better server or not?


RkPlayer
M​
M W%​
SPW​
SPW-InP​
Aces​
Ace%​
DF%​
1stIn​
1st%​
2nd%​
2%-InP​
Hld%​
17Lorenzo Musetti [ITA]
97
47.4%​
63.7%​
63.4%​
403​
5.6%​
2.7%​
62.8%​
70.6%​
52.2%​
56.4%​
78.3%​
9Alex De Minaur [AUS]
144
66.7%​
64.0%​
64.1%​
581​
5.6%​
3.3%​
57.1%​
71.9%​
53.6%​
58.0%​
80.2%​
3Carlos Alcaraz [ESP]
109
77.1%​
67.7%​
67.7%​
465​
5.9%​
2.9%​
65.7%​
73.3%​
57.0%​
62.3%​
86.1%​
41Alex Michelsen [USA]
50
52.0%​
63.4%​
63.2%​
244​
6.1%​
3.2%​
66.5%​
69.7%​
50.8%​
56.2%​
80.2%​
6Casper Ruud [NOR]
107
58.9%​
67.2%​
66.2%​
677​
8.3%​
2.8%​
65.0%​
74.5%​
53.6%​
58.2%​
85.3%​
13Holger Rune [DEN]
121
63.6%​
66.3%​
66.4%​
747​
8.4%​
4.4%​
62.1%​
73.7%​
54.4%​
61.4%​
84.7%​
28Jiri Lehecka [CZE]
100
56.0%​
64.6%​
63.5%​
675​
8.8%​
3.3%​
63.2%​
72.3%​
51.5%​
56.5%​
81.4%​
1Jannik Sinner [ITA]
151
85.4%​
68.5%​
67.2%​
1039​
9.3%​
2.6%​
60.3%​
76.9%​
55.8%​
59.7%​
88.1%​
Pretty cool statistic. I think he is just too tiny to become a massive server, unless he goes all or nothing on every serve, which doesn't fit his style. Surprised Michelsen has such low ace % consider he is 1.93m
 
Indeed, it doesn't look good. Lots of untapped potential, one of the best baseliners but his serve...


Date​
Tournament​
Surface​
vRk​
DR​
A%​
DF%​
1stIn​
1st%​
2nd%​
BPSvd​
13-Jan-2025Australian OpenHard
20​
0.92​
1.7%​
2.6%​
59.5%​
73.9%​
59.6%​
3/6​
13-Jan-2025Australian OpenHard
56​
1.34​
2.7%​
3.6%​
68.5%​
76.3%​
54.3%​
4/5​
13-Jan-2025Australian OpenHard
39​
1.09​
4.1%​
3.4%​
60.5%​
62.9%​
51.7%​
8/16​
30-Dec-2024Hong KongHard
62​
1.03​
8.8%​
3.9%​
67.6%​
78.3%​
33.3%​
4/7​
30-Dec-2024Hong KongHard
87​
1.69​
12.2%​
6.1%​
75.5%​
81.1%​
58.3%​
2/2​
21-Nov-2024Davis Cup Finals QF: ITA vs ARGHard
30​
0.66​
0.0%​
3.1%​
48.4%​
51.6%​
36.4%​
7/13​
28-Oct-2024Paris MastersHard
42​
0.87​
9.6%​
3.8%​
69.2%​
58.3%​
43.8%​
1/5​
21-Oct-2024ViennaHard
18​
0.79​
3.3%​
3.3%​
66.7%​
55.0%​
30.0%​
6/11​
21-Oct-2024ViennaHard
3​
0.90​
2.0%​
1.0%​
70.3%​
64.8%​
46.7%​
8/12​
21-Oct-2024ViennaHard
52​
21-Oct-2024ViennaHard
49​
2.85​
4.7%​
0.0%​
81.4%​
82.9%​
87.5%​
0/0​
02-Oct-2024Shanghai MastersHard
66​
1.15​
4.5%​
0.0%​
65.2%​
74.1%​
41.9%​
6/10​
26-Sep-2024BeijingHard
96​
0.64​
0.0%​
5.4%​
53.6%​
46.7%​
46.2%​
3/8​
26-Sep-2024BeijingHard
74​
1.21​
5.6%​
2.2%​
61.1%​
76.4%​
71.4%​
3/4​
18-Sep-2024ChengduHard
67​
0.81​
3.3%​
0.0%​
75.4%​
60.9%​
53.3%​
2/5​
18-Sep-2024ChengduHard
252​
1.22​
4.1%​
1.4%​
71.2%​
65.4%​
66.7%​
3/3​
18-Sep-2024ChengduHard
46​
1.26​
9.0%​
2.2%​
67.4%​
76.7%​
55.2%​
3/4​
18-Sep-2024ChengduHard
75​
0.98​
6.5%​
1.9%​
75.7%​
75.3%​
42.3%​
0/3​
26-Aug-2024US OpenHard
50​
0.85​
6.6%​
4.1%​
56.2%​
69.1%​
52.8%​
6/11​
26-Aug-2024US OpenHard
54​
0.99​
7.8%​
5.9%​
65.4%​
67.0%​
47.2%​
11/18​
26-Aug-2024US OpenHard
324​
1.33​
6.1%​
5.3%​
50.0%​
75.4%​
63.2%​
3/6​
for whatever reason is a top-eight or 10 on clay and grass but pretty nothing on HC so far
 
for whatever reason is a top-eight or 10 on clay and grass but pretty nothing on HC so far

HC has historically been a bit of a bane for Italian players. Almost all have grown up on clay, but net game and bh slice have also been a big part of the 'Italian school'. Too little Spanish grind, too much artsy play for clay and too weak a serve for fast grass.

I have joked that we tried to play a cross between grass and clay style ending up winning nothing. Seppi, Berrettini and Sinner broke that mold with increasing levels of success.
 
HC has historically been a bit of a bane for Italian players. Almost all have grown up on clay, but net game and bh slice have also been a big part of the 'Italian school'. Too little Spanish grind, too much artsy play for clay and too weak a serve for fast grass.

I have joked that we tried to play a cross between grass and clay style ending up winning nothing. Seppi, Berrettini and Sinner broke that mold with increasing levels of success.

Musetti led the tour in grass-court wins in 2024
 
Musetti led the tour in grass-court wins in 2024

His returns against GMP were most impressive. His returns can work surprisingly well on grass, were hand skills are arguably needed most. His slice stays often very low and his net game is great.

If he starts to serve considerably better....
 
HC has historically been a bit of a bane for Italian players. Almost all have grown up on clay, but net game and bh slice have also been a big part of the 'Italian school'. Too little Spanish grind, too much artsy play for clay and too weak a serve for fast grass.

I have joked that we tried to play a cross between grass and clay style ending up winning nothing. Seppi, Berrettini and Sinner broke that mold with increasing levels of success.
Funny. Before this latest boom or craze in sports betting, back around 2016-19, when i was really following the tour, i would gamble and there was good period where i did v well gradually accumulating high % of wins putting money on Seppi in individual matches.
 
Funny. Before this latest boom or craze in sports betting, back around 2016-19, when i was really following the tour, i would gamble and there was good period where i did v well gradually accumulating high % of wins putting money on Seppi in individual matches.

A good old Andy. Seppi was the first Italian to win an ATP title on grass and got one on every surface. One of the best Italian servers in singles of the last two-three decades before Berrettini and Sonego hit the scene.
 
Pretty cool statistic. I think he is just too tiny to become a massive server, unless he goes all or nothing on every serve, which doesn't fit his style. Surprised Michelsen has such low ace % consider he is 1.93m
185 is not tiny. That's the same as Federer and Sampras. He's strong and has an athletic build. He could crush it with the right technique. Maybe he should go back to pinpoint.
 
185 is not tiny. That's the same as Federer and Sampras. He's strong and has an athletic build. He could crush it with the right technique. Maybe he should go back to pinpoint.

Don't know about pinpoint for him but indeed this mismatch between build and serve outcome stirred my curiosity. De Minaur is doing better than him.
 
Don't know about pinpoint for him but indeed this mismatch between build and serve outcome stirred my curiosity. De Minaur is doing better than him.

Looking at the last 52 weeks we see a slight downward ace trend for Musetti, while shorter De Minaur is improving.

This is quite frustrating to watch for me. Musetti does the wrong things really well.

Great cornetti, bad meat and potatoes.
 
Looking at the last 52 weeks we see a slight downward ace trend for Musetti, while shorter De Minaur is improving.

This is quite frustrating to watch for me. Musetti does the wrong things really well.

Great cornetti, bad meat and potatoes.
I think his serve was better with pinpoint, with the platform it’s mainly topspin serving, not bad, but not great either.
 
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