“A lot of emotion, unexpected…” – Musetti ends seven-final losing streak and four-year title drought by beating Fritz in Lyon
Lorenzo Musetti won the title on Sunday afternoon against Taylor Fritz.
Lorenzo Musetti, Lyon 2026 | © Sandrine Thesillat / PsNewz
For more than two years, a final had been the one match Lorenzo Musetti could not win. He had lost seven in a row on the ATP Tour since his last title in 2022. On Sunday in Lyon, a day after saving four match points against Flavio Cobolli, the Italian finally put an end to that run, beating second seed Taylor Fritz 6-3, 6-4 to win the Lyon ATP 250.
“Totally unexpected. For me, it’s such a roller coaster,” Musetti said on court. “The previous matches have been incredible. I saved four match points to play a fantastic final. I have to say that honestly, before stepping on the court, I was feeling pain everywhere. But then when I stepped on court, I started to think and focus on the match. I think I played probably my best tennis, so I’m really happy and proud of this win.”
He credited his resilience, and the people who kept him going through a draining week. “The spirit of fighting, I guess, was the key for this tournament, because I always had an incredible attitude,” he said. “I have to say thanks to my team, to the medical staff and the physio, who tried to get me back in shape even after hours and hours of matches. Today I probably felt more relaxed inside my head, and my tennis went more fluid. It was a really great performance.”
“It’s a mess. It’s a lot of emotion. I don’t know how to describe it, but I feel that it’s such a dream that I don’t want to wake up,” Musetti added. “I’m still dreaming, so I’m really happy, and now I will have some days to enjoy the win.”
The No. 6 seed did it with authority. Fritz had not lost his serve all week, and Musetti broke him in his first service game. He took a 3-0 lead and closed out the set on his first set point. In the second set he broke again at 2-1, on his third break point, then held through a long game for 3-1 and served out the match on his first match point. He did not face a break point.
A first title since 2022 for musetti
It is the third title of Musetti’s career, after Hamburg and Naples in 2022, and the first by an Italian in the history of the tournament, which was held in Marseille from 1993 to 2025. He becomes the fourth Italian to win an ATP Tour title this season, after Jannik Sinner, Cobolli and Luciano Darderi.
The week came after a difficult season. Musetti reached a career-high No. 5 in January, but then missed part of the season and dropped to No. 26. In Lyon he beat Matteo Arnaldi 6-1, 6-4, French wildcard Moise Kouame 6-4, 6-4 and Luca Van Assche of France 7-6 (5), 6-7 (7), 6-4, in a quarterfinal that finished after 1 a.m. and was the longest match of his career.
He then saved four match points to beat top seed Cobolli 4-6, 6-2, 7-5 in front of a sell-out crowd at the LDLC Arena, before beating Fritz to lead their head-to-head 5-3.
Fritz’s indoor wait goes on
Fritz, ranked No. 14, had won 31 of 31 service games on his way to the final, beating French qualifier Pierre-Hugues Herbert 6-2, 7-5, Daniel Altmaier of Germany 7-6 (5), 6-2 and No. 4 seed Tommy Paul 6-3, 7-5. Fritz lost his fifth indoor final in five, and is still waiting for a 12th career title. He stays 12th in the Race to Turin.
