PARIS — In a compelling turn of events, defending champion Carlos Alcaraz advanced to the French Open final after Lorenzo Musetti was forced to retire during their semifinal match in the fourth set.
At the time of the retirement, Alcaraz held a lead of 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-0, and 2-0 on Court Philippe-Chatrier.
“Winning this way doesn’t feel great. Lorenzo is a fantastic player,” Alcaraz commented. “I wish him all the best and a speedy recovery; I hope to see him back on the court soon.”
Musetti sought treatment for an issue in his left thigh late in the third set and again before the fourth set began.
Struggling at 5-0 down in the third set, Musetti called for the trainer. Alcaraz seized the opportunity, breaking Musetti’s serve and closing out the set in just 21 minutes, dominating with 24 of 29 points won.
Despite his difficulty moving, Musetti called for assistance again. After Alcaraz broke his serve to lead 2-0, Musetti walked to the net and shared a supportive hug with Alcaraz.
“I felt the strain in my left leg while serving. It kept getting worse, so I made the tough decision to stop,” Musetti explained. “It wasn’t my preference, but ultimately, I think it was the right call. I will undergo tests tomorrow.”
As the second seed, Alcaraz is poised to chase his second French Open title and his fifth major, awaiting either the top-ranked Jannik Sinner from Italy or 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic from Serbia in the finals.
Their semifinal match was set to take place later on Friday.
The audience featured notable figures like actor Dustin Hoffman and former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, as Musetti exhibited his remarkable shot-making abilities, drawing cheers from fans clad in clown wigs decorated with the Italian flag colors.
Musetti secured the first set when Alcaraz faltered with a forehand error, contributing to 16 unforced mistakes in that round.
Alcaraz, feeling the pressure, let his frustration show when he kicked his changeover seat during the second set. The relief was palpable when he broke Musetti’s serve in the 11th game, raising his arm triumphantly.
Musetti fought back to force a tiebreaker, but Alcaraz dominated, sealing the set when Musetti’s poorly executed drop shot fell into the net.
“The first two sets were incredibly tough,” Alcaraz acknowledged. “When I won the second, I finally felt relieved. In the third, I knew I needed to stay aggressive and push him hard. I found my rhythm, remained calm, and played at my best.”
This semifinal marked only Musetti’s second appearance at this stage of a major, having reached the same point at Wimbledon last year before falling to Djokovic.
Feeling in peak condition, Alcaraz confidently stated after his win over Musetti, “I’m feeling fantastic. Despite three intense weeks, I have plenty of confidence and will give it my all on Sunday.”
With a remarkable record of 21-1 on clay this year, Alcaraz has triumphed in prestigious tournaments in Rome—where he beat Sinner—and Monte Carlo, where he also bested Musetti.
Though Musetti didn’t make it to the final, he fell short of joining Adriano Panatta as only the second Italian man to reach this pinnacle at the French Open, with Panatta claiming victory in 1976.
However, Sinner remains in contention for that honor.
