Lorenzo Musetti had an intense week, but the Italian managed to secure a spot at the ATP Finals, a goal he was eagerly pursuing. Initially on track to qualify for the first time, his early exit at the Paris Masters allowed Felix Auger-Aliassime to overtake him in the Race to Turin.
Musetti headed to the ATP 250 event in Athens fully aware that his fate was in his own hands. Winning the tournament would secure his place at the ATP Finals; otherwise, Auger-Aliassime would claim the final spot.
Despite falling to Novak Djokovic in the Athens final, Musetti’s qualification was sealed as Djokovic withdrew from the year-end Finals. The quick turnaround saw Musetti heading to Turin to face Taylor Fritz on Monday.
Expressing his joy on social media, Musetti described the qualification as a dream come true. The Italian, aiming for his third career title and first since 2022, had faced disappointment in previous final matches but remained upbeat.
After the match with Djokovic, Musetti revealed that the Serbian informed him on the court about skipping the Turin event. Musetti respected Djokovic’s decision to delay the withdrawal announcement until the last minute, noting the unusual circumstance of Djokovic playing the week before the tournament.
With Djokovic’s withdrawal, the ATP hurried to find a replacement alternate. Casper Ruud stepped in as the second alternate, following Alexander Bublik, after Musetti filled Djokovic’s spot. Both Ruud and Bublik will receive an appearance fee, with the chance for increased earnings if they are called upon to play.