By Alberto Amalfi | @TennisNow | Saturday, July 27, 2024
Francisco Cerundolo out-dueled Wimbledon semifinalist Lorenzo Musetti 2-6, 6-4, 7-6(5) to capture the Umag crown in a thriller.
Photo credit: ATP Croatia Open Umag
Facing dire straits in the final, Francisco Cerundolo calmly delivered his most dynamic tennis to seize the Umag crown.
Cerundolo out-dueled Wimbledon semifinalist Lorenzo Musetti 2-6, 6-4, 7-6(5) in today's ATP Croatia Open Umag final thriller.
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The 25-year-old Cerundolo broke Musetti when he served for the title at 5-4 then roared back from 1-3 down in the tiebreaker winning six of the last eight points.
On his third match point, Cerundolo followed a forehand forward, blocked a forehand volley ending a marathon three-hour title triumph and fell flat on his back in pure elation.
"It was an unreal battle," Cerundolo said. "Lorenzo has played super great tennis the last month. He probably is one of the players who won the most matches on Tour so I knew it was going to be really tough tonight.
"I don't know how I came back. I fought until the last point and luckily I won the match. I'm super proud because it was a really tough battle."
Stylish Italian Musetti applied variation off his one-handed backhand, sometimes driving that stroke with topspin and sometimes slicing it short, to unsettle the Argentinean.
Credit Cerundolo for continuing to crack his forehand and go for his shots.
It is Cerundolo's third career title and comes a year after he defeated Tommy Paul to win Eastbourne on grass.
Following a deeply disappointing summer grass-court season that saw Cerundolo fall in the first round at Queen's Club, Eastbourne and Wimbledon, he has been revitalilzed in his return to red clay.
The fourth-seeded Cerundolo showed competitive calm scoring two wins in third-set tiebreakers—he topped Italian Lorenzo Sonego 6-4, 2-6, 7-6(2) in the quarterfinals—and taking down top-seeded Andrey Rublev in the semifinals.