“I only trembled a little at 6-5”: Musetti needs four match points to beat Hurkacz
The Italian beat Hubert Hurkacz 7-6 (3), 7-6 (10) after the Pole saved three match points in the tiebreak, for his first win in Paris since 2022. Alexander Zverev, in his first tournament as World No. 1, is next.
Lorenzo Musetti, Rolex Paris Masters 2026 | © Baptiste Autissier / PsNewz
Lorenzo Musetti needed four match points in a tense second-set tiebreak to beat Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz 7-6 (3), 7-6 (10) in 1 hour 45 minutes in the first round of the Paris Masters 1000 on Monday, setting up a meeting with World No. 1 Alexander Zverev.
It was the Italian’s first win at the event since he reached the quarter-finals in 2022. He had lost his opening match in each of the past three editions.
Musetti, ranked No. 24, earned his fourth straight win over a top-30 player, a run that began on his way to the Lyon title two weeks ago. He now leads Hurkacz 4-2 in their head-to-head.
“Even today I think I played better in the important moments, and that’s what I was missing a bit in the past months,” Musetti said after the match. “I think I got the confidence back, and especially the courage in certain situations to play the right game and the right strategy.”
Hurkacz saves three match points in the second-set tiebreak
Neither player dropped serve. Musetti saved the only break point of the match in the first set, and each player won 76 points.
“I think I managed to serve really well, one of my best performances on serve,” he said. “I think it was the key of the match.”
Musetti led 6-5 in the second-set tiebreak and served for the match on his first match point. Hurkacz saved it with a forehand return winner off a weak second serve. The Pole saved a second match point and missed a set point on the way to 8-8. He then saved a third match point with a service winner, before Musetti saved a second set point at 10-10.
On the fourth match point, Hurkacz came forward and put a volley into the doubles alley, ending a nervy match. Musetti tapped a finger to his temple after the handshake.
“Today I only trembled a little at 6-5, on the first match point,” he said in Italian. “But otherwise I think I played a good match against a very tricky opponent on this surface.”
Hurkacz hit 31 winners to Musetti’s 15, but 18 of his 26 unforced errors came in the second set. The Italian made 13 in the whole match.
Zverev’s first match as World No. 1 next for Musetti
Zverev, the top seed and the 2024 champion, received a first-round bye. He plays his first tournament as World No. 1 at the Rolex Paris Masters, after taking the top spot on Monday.
“I think he got a lot of confidence, especially winning two majors this year and reaching world No. 1,” Musetti said. “So it will be really tough to beat him, but we are here to try to beat everyone.”
The German is due on Court Central later on Monday for a ceremony marking his rise to No. 1, at the end of the match between Casper Ruud and Juan Manuel Cerundolo, the last of the day session.
Hurkacz, ranked No. 29 and a semi-finalist in Paris in 2021, came into the tournament on an 11-4 run since September, which included a final in Chengdu and a semi-final in Beijing.
Rolex Paris Masters 2026 first-round results
Lorenzo Musetti d. Hubert Hurkacz 7-6 (3), 7-6 (10)
Luca Van Assche vs Mariano Navone (Monday)
Stefanos Tsitsipas vs Learner Tien (15) (Tuesday)
Novak Djokovic (10) vs Valentin Vacherot (Tuesday)
Rinky Hijikata (Q) d. Luciano Darderi 6-2, 6-2
Andrey Rublev vs Tomas Martin Etcheverry (Tuesday)
Cameron Norrie vs Matteo Arnaldi (Monday)
Mattia Bellucci (Q) vs Lorenzo Sonego (Q) (Monday)
Arthur Rinderknech vs Francisco Cerundolo (16) (Tuesday)
Tommy Paul (12) vs Holger Rune (PR) (Tuesday)
Daniel Merida vs Sebastian Baez (LL) (Monday)
Quentin Halys vs Arthur Fery (Tuesday)
Jan-Lennard Struff (SE) vs Arthur Gea (WC) (Tuesday)
Casper Ruud vs Juan Manuel Cerundolo (Q) (Monday)
Alejandro Tabilo vs Rafael Jodar (9) (Monday)
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (13) vs Moise Kouame (WC) (Tuesday)
Denis Shapovalov vs Karen Khachanov (Monday)
Ignacio Buse d. Zizou Bergs 6-2, 6-4
Kyrian Jacquet (WC) vs Tomas Machac (Q) (Monday)
Alex Molcan (Q) vs Titouan Droguet (WC) (Monday)
Benjamin Bonzi (Q) vs Taylor Fritz (11) (Tuesday)
Brandon Nakashima (14) vs Matteo Berrettini (Tuesday)
Ugo Humbert vs Botic van de Zandschulp (Monday)
Alex Michelsen vs Jiri Lehecka (Tuesday)
