By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Thursday October 15, 2020
Italy's Lorenzo Musetti continued his climb up the rankings with a victory on Thursday to earn his first ATP quarterfinal appearance.
Photo Source: Internazionali BNL d'Italia
Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti continues to make his presence felt on the ATP Tour. The 18-year-old, who defeated Stan Wawrinka and Kei Nishikori at Rome in September, has reached his first ATP quarterfinal at the Forte Village Sardegna Open in Sardinia.
Musetti, ranked 143, defeated qualifier Andrea Pelligrino 6-2 6-1 to set up a quarterfinal with Germany’s Yannick Hanfmann.
Hanfmann toppled Casper Ruud, the No.3 seed, 6-2, 6-1.
It has been a stellar month for Musetti. He has risen over 100 ranking points and claimed the challenger title in Forli a few weeks ago by reeling off four Top 100 wins.
When Musetti lost in the final round of qualifying at the Australian Open this year he was ranked 364 in the world. It’s pretty remarkable that the 2019 Australian Open Boys’ Singles champion is now closing in on the Top 100 and into an ATP-level quarterfinal.
Musetti is now the first player born in 2002 to record an ATP win and to reach an ATP quarterfinal.
In other action on Thursday in Sardinia, wild card Marco Cecchinato defeated Tommy Paul 7-6(1), 6-2, while Albert Ramos Vinolas powered past Corentin Moutet 6-0, 6-3.
Here's the full quarterfinal lineup for Sardinia: