This year’s Olympic bronze medallist Lorenzo Musetti edged past Reilly Opelka 7-6 (7-3) 1-6 6-1 7-5.
The first set went on serve in the first six game. Musetti earned three break points at 0-40, but Opelka saved them to hold serve. Both players held on their serve until the tie-break. Musetti went up a 3-0 lead in the tie-break. Opelka pulled one mini-break back for 1-3. Musetti earned another mini-break to open up a 5-2 lead. Opelka won a point on return fror 3-5, but Musetti earned his fourth mini-break to win the tie-break 7-3.
Musetti faced a break point in the fourth game of the second set. Opelka broke serve in the fourth game to take a 3-1 lead. The US player converted his second break point in the sixth game to open up a 5-1 lead after a double fault from Musetti.
Musetti went up a double break with a backhand down the line on the break point to race out to a 4-0 lead.
Opelka broke serve in the second game to take a 3-0 lead and went up 5-2 in the fourth set, but Musetti reeled off five consecutive games, breaking Opelka three consecutive times. Opelka went up 40-0 in the ninth game earning three set points, but he did not convert his third chance after a double fault. The US player earned two more chances in that game, but he was not able to close out the game. Musetti broke back in the ninth game after Opelka made a double fault. Musetti broke for the second time in the 11th game and served out the match with a hold at love.
“It was a very tough match. I never gave up and this helped me to turn around the match, which looked destined to a fifth set. After the draw I was a bit worried because Opelka is a difficult player for everyone. I played better in the key moments of the match. I have improved a lot on this aspect and I showed it today”, said Musetti.
Musetti will face either Yoshihito Nishioka or Miomir Kecmanovic.
Opelka hit 23 aces but he made 10 double faults. Musetti ended the match with 27 winners and 13 unforced errors.
Since advancing to the third round at Roland Garros Musetti has reached the finals at Queen’s and Umago, the semifinal at Wimbledon and won the bronze medal at the Olympic Games in Paris after beating Gael Monfils, Taylor Fritz and Alexander Zverev.
Opelka had surgery at the end of 2022 and made his return on the ATP Tour last July. He reached a career-high of number 17 in 2022 before the injury. His ranking has plummeted to world number 224 and is playing the US Open with a protected ranking.
