A close encounter is on the cards in this quarter-final between Musetti and Tiafoe
As this year’s French Open nears its conclusion, we are now in the quarter-finals stage of the tournament with the last 8 players standing. Today’s first quarter-final on the men’s side will feature the number 8 seed, Lorenzo Musetti, in action against the 15 seed, Frances Tiafoe.
Musetti and Tiafoe get set to face off for the sixth time in their quarter-final showdown. The match is expected to be an exciting one, given that both are currently in brilliant form ahead of their clash. The winner will advance to the semi-finals, where they will play either Carlos Alcaraz or Tommy Paul.
The Italian number 8 seed, Lorenzo Musetti, started the year with mixed results, but really found his footing during the clay season. Heading into Monte-Carlo, Musetti held a 7-5 record on the year, but since then, he has played some amazing tennis.
Musetti reached the final at the Monte-Carlo Masters, where he lost to Alcaraz, and followed that with back-to-back semi-final appearances in Madrid and Rome. Talking about his performance on clay this year, Musetti has won 81% of his service games and had 38 aces to 14 double faults prior to the French Open. He has converted nearly 40% of his break points chances.
American Frances Tiafoe arrived in Paris with a 13-12 record this year. He hasn’t been at his best over the year with several early round exits until Houston, where he made it to the final. Leading up to Roland Garros, Tiafoe played in multiple clay court tournaments, including Houston, Monte-Carlo, Barcelona, Madrid, Rome, and Hamburg, however, all except Houston were early round exits.
Heading into the French Open, the American had decent numbers on his serve, hitting 57 aces to 23 double faults, and holding his serve 75% of the time. He’s converted 36% of his break points and has won 26% of his return games.
Musettin and Tiafoe have met on tour 5 times previously, with the American holding a slight 3-2 lead in their head-to-head. However, only one of these meetings has been on clay, which the Italian won back in 2023.
The pair first played against each other in 2021 in Acapulco, while their most recent encounter came in 2024 in Cincinnati. Tiafoe claimed victory in their 2023 match in the United Cup when Musetti retired after already being down a set.
| Year | Event | Round | Winner | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | ATP Masters 1000 Cincinnati | Round of 32 | Frances Tiafoe | 6-3, 6-2 |
| 2023 | Stuttgart | Quarter-final | Frances Tiafoe | 6-7(6), 7-6(4), 6-2 |
| 2023 | ATP Masters 1000 Rome | Round of 32 | Lorenzo Musetti | 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 |
| 2023 | United Cup | Final | Frances Tiafoe | 6-2 RET |
| 2021 | Acapulco | Round of 16 | Lorenzo Musetti | 2-6, 6-3, 7-6(1) |
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As far as their career comparison goes, both have achieved similar levels of success on tour. Tiafoe is the older of the two, and Musetti is still rising, which may lead to further success on the big stage.
Currently, the Italian has reached his highest ranking at number 7, while Tiafoe’s highest ranking was 10. The American has won 3 titles to Musetti’s 2, while both of their best results in a Grand Slam have been semi-final appearances.
| Lorenzo Musetti | Category | Frances Tiafoe |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Ranking | 16 |
| 152-118 | Career W-L | 223-203 |
| 20-7 | YTD W-L | 13-12 |
| 2 | Career Titles | 3 |
| 0 | Grand Slams | 0 |
| 0 | YTD Titles | 0 |
Going by current form, Musetti is the favorite to go through to the next round, and even the pair’s head-to-head at 3-all. However, both are quality players on the clay, and counting Tiafoe out would be a mistake.
The American has sailed through the first four rounds at Roland Garros without dropping a set and looks to have found his game ahead of his important quarter-final showdown. Musetti, on the other hand, has played consecutive 4-set matches in the previous two rounds, but showed his composure in taking down Holger Rune in the fourth round.
Prediction: Musetti in five
As the betting odds suggest, Musetti has the clear edge in this quarter-final clash, and that is rightfully so after his strong runs during the clay season leading up to Roland Garros. The American is the underdog, but he has the ability to make life uncomfortable for Musetti with his power game.
Lorenzo Musetti Win: 1/5
Frances Tiafoe Win: 15/4
(According to BetMGM)
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