Carlos Alcaraz to defend French Open title in final as Lorenzo Musetti retires
But the 23-year-old had treatment on his leg during a one-sided third set and called it a day after Alcaraz won nine games in a row with the score 4-6 7-6 (3) 6-0 2-0.
Lorenzo Musetti needed medical treatment (Aurelien Morissard/AP)
There were echoes of a match here four years ago when Musetti retired against Novak Djokovic at 4-0 down in the fifth, later saying he was not injured but that he quit because he was 'not able to win a point'.
Alcaraz, who will bid for a fifth grand slam title on Sunday, said: 'It is never great getting through like this.
'Lorenzo is a great player. He has had an incredible clay season. He's one of the few players who has achieved the semi-finals. I wish him all the best and a quick recovery.
'The first two sets were really tough. I had chances to break his serve in the match and I couldn't make the most of it.
'He was playing great tennis. When I won the second set, there was relief. In the third I knew what I had to do – pushing him to the limit and trying to be aggressive.
'I was more calm and I could see this more clearly and I could play great tennis.'
An exciting match looked on the cards when at 5-4 Musetti, who had not previously threatened the Alcaraz serve, suddenly broke to take the first set.
Alcaraz served for the second set but the tension he was feeling was palpable as Musetti broke straight back.
A sad ending to a thrilling encounter 💔
Alcaraz is back in the Roland-Garros final as Musetti is forced to retire. #RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/n5EZsDTroS
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 6, 2025
However, Alcaraz reset in the tie-break and, although Musetti saved two set points, he dumped a third into the net.
Musetti planted his hand onto his face after a bad miss handed the initiative to Alcaraz, who grabbed the early break in the third.
Suddenly the shackles were off for Alcaraz while Musetti was labouring, winning just five points as the set disappeared over the horizon.
The eighth seed had received treatment on his left leg but was still clearly hindered and when Alcaraz broke for 2-0 in the fourth, he decided he had had enough.
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Reuters
an hour ago
- Reuters
Sinner faces defending champ Alcaraz in hotly anticipated French Open final
PARIS, June 7 (Reuters) - The French Open men's singles tournament will culminate with a blockbuster clash in Paris on Sunday. World number one Jannik Sinner faces defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in the most eagerly anticipated men's singles final since the start of the Rafa Nadal era 20 years ago at Roland Garros where the results were largely a foregone conclusion. Italian top seed Sinner has been impressive since his return from a doping ban last month, charging into Sunday's final without dropping a single set in his six matches in Paris. The 23-year-old outclassed 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic in their semi-final to confirm his superb form on clay after also reaching the final in Rome in May in his first tournament back from his ban. He was beaten there by Alcaraz in straight sets. Any doubts that Sinner was lacking match practice were quickly dispelled by the ruthless efficiency with which he has dispatched all his opponents in Paris to set up a mouth-watering final against arguably the most gifted claycourt player since 14-time French Open champion Nadal. Sinner had never before reached the final in Paris but he will be looking to add the Roland Garros title to his rapidly growing list of majors, which already includes two Australian Open crowns and last year's U.S. Open. He is on a 20-match winning streak in Grand Slam tournaments after lifting the trophy in New York last year and then clinching the title in Melbourne at the start of this year. "It doesn't get any bigger now," Sinner said of his burgeoning rivalry with the 22-year-old Alcaraz, who has seven wins and two defeats against the Italian in their head-to-head. Alcaraz, who is attempting to become only the third man to retain his Roland Garros title this century after Nadal and Gustavo Kuerten, has won the last four encounters with Sinner. "Grand Slam finals against Carlos, it's a special moment for me and for him, too. He won here last year, so let's see what's coming," Sinner said. "But for sure, the tension you feel before the match and during the match is a little bit different because we are both very young, we are both different, but talented. So let's see." Alcaraz's progression to the final has not been equally smooth, with the Spaniard dropping a set in four of his six matches, including in his semi-final against Italian Lorenzo Musetti, who retired injured at the start of the fourth set. But his occasional lapses of concentration during his matches in Paris barely mask his lethal force on the surface. He won the claycourt tournaments in Monte Carlo and Rome while also reaching the final in Barcelona in a near-perfect preparation to Paris. "If I want to play against Jannik, he's the best tennis player right now. I mean, he's destroying every opponent through (to) the semi-final," Alcaraz said. ORDER OF PLAY ON SUNDAY (prefix number denotes seeding) COURT PHILIPPE CHATRIER (not before 1300 GMT) 1- Jannik Sinner (Italy) v 2-Carlos Alcaraz (Spain)
The Independent
an hour ago
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The Carlos Alcaraz problem Jannik Sinner faces in mouthwatering French Open final
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The Herald Scotland
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Rory McIlroy knows his form is a problem heading into US Open
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