24-year-old Italian Lorenzo Musetti is struggling to recapture the form that propelled him up the world rankings last year.
2025 ATP Tour
Masters 1000
Monte-Carlo Masters
Monte Carlo Country Club, Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France (Outdoor Clay)
Selected Round of 32 Matches- 9th April
Lorenzo Musetti (13) 0.8 vs Jiri Lehecka 0.98
He is yet to reach a semifinal all season, with a calf injury not helping matters much. The calf issue saw him withdraw for the Argentine Open quarters (he would then go on to withdraw from Rio without striking a ball). He returned to action during the ‘Sunshine Double’ but failed to make much of an impression there. He will welcome the switch to these more turgid conditions. The crafty Italian is a two-time clay-court finalist, winning the European Open back in 2022. He reached the quarters here in 2023 and picked up the coveted bronze medal at last year’s Olympic Games (played at Roland Garros). He has terrific variety, prepared to impart plenty of topspin on that forehand wing when necessary. He is a master of slice and is comfortable changing the trajectory of rallies. He will be hoping that a return to clay will change his fortunes. He looked scrappy in his Monte Carlo opener, coming back from a set down against China’s Yunchaokete.
23-year-old Czech Jiri Lehecka looked more composed in his opener, taking down dangerous American Seb Korda 6-3, 7-6. He was particularly impressive on serve, winning 88% of his first-serve points on these slow surfaces. It was a much-needed result for the talented Czech. Lehecka started the season in fantastic fashion, winning his 2nd career title in Brisbane before a highly creditable 4th round run at the Aussie Open. He reached the semifinals in Qatar but has fallen off a cliff since then, bringing a four-match losing streak into this week’s event. Lehecka is a strategic all-court player with solid groundstrokes off both wings. He does have some clay-court pedigree, reaching the semifinals of last year’s Madrid Open (which he had to miss due to an injured back).
The Verdict: Lehecka to win in straight sets at 2.2- Lehecka leads the head-to-head 2-0, winning their most recent meeting at the 2023 Miami Open. I am inclined to believe that Lehecka could improve his head-to-head superiority. Musetti was unconvincing in his opener and may still be feeling the effects of that calf injury. Lehecka impressed against Korda, and I think he could overpower the Italian.
