By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, October 25, 2026
Photo credit: Screen Shot
Final failures haunted Lorenzo Musetti in recent years.
Showing spirited life hours after near competitive death, Musetti is a champion again.
A creative Musetti carved up Taylor Fritz 6-3, 6-4 to snap a streak of seven straight Tour-level finals losses and capture the Lyon championship today.
In a masterful one hour, 21-minute victory, Musetti won 14 of 20 second-serve points and did not face a break point topping Fritz for the fifth time in eight meetings.
A resilient Musetti collected his third career title a day after he staved off elimination, saving four match points to fight off Italian compatriot Flavio Cobolli 4-6, 6-2, 7-5.
“Totally unexpected for the history of this tournament for me is such a rollercoaster,” Musetti said. “The previous matches have been incredible.
“I saved four match points to play a fantastic final. Honestly before stepping on the court, I was feeling pain everywhere, but then I started to focus on the match and tennis.
“I think I played probably my best tennis so I’m really happy and proud of this win.”
A day after Fritz fired 15 aces—and fended off all nine break points he faced—out-dueling former junior roommate Tommy Paul 6-3, 7-5 in a highly-entertaining semifinal, he was broken early in both sets and played catch-up from the start.
“First off, congrats to Lorenzo, you played a really good match,” Fritz said. “Congrats to your team, you were just too good today. You definitely deserve it.”
It is Musetti’s first title since he beat buddy Matteo Berrettini 7-6(5), 6-2, to win the Naples championship in October of 2022.
Hoisting the distinctive blue Lyon lion title trophy, Musetti said this championship came from the heart.
“The spirit of fighting I guess was the key for this tournament because I always had an incredible attitude,” Musetti said. “I have to say thanks to my team, to the medical staff and physio that tried to get me back in shape after hours and hours of match.
“Today, I probably felt more relaxed in my head, my tennis was more fluid. It was a really great performance.”
This was elegant execution from Musetti, whose smooth movement, determined defense, timely serving and forehand strikes carried him past Fritz for the second time this season following his 6-2, 7-5, 6-4 win in the Australian Open round of 16.
The dazzling array of spins and speeds Musetti dispensed was disorientating at times for the 6’4” Fritz, who was sometimes scraping low slices off the court only to face devious topspin lobs that danced inside the baseline.
Though Fritz had not surrendered serve in the entire tournament, Musetti torched three winners breaking at love in the American’s opening service game.
A fluid Musetti soared through 10 points in a row building a 3-0 lead.
How sharp was Musetti at the outset? The Muse Man won four of the first nine games at love, stamping successive love holds to serve out a one-set lead.
The Italian’s smooth court coverage seemed to be in Fritz’s head as he dragged a crosscourt backhand wide to face a third break point in the third game of set two.
Over-hitting a forehand down the line, Fritz ceded the break and a 2-1 lead.
Facing Love-30 for the second serve game of the set, Musetti answered with an ace and three whipping, wide unreturnable serves holding with a primal scream for 4-2.
The 28-year-old Fritz fired through his first love hold of the match to stay close at 3-4.
Serving for his first title in four years, Musetti hammered the T serve to set up a smash for 30-15. When Fritz flew a forehand wide, Musetti screamed “come on!” holding two championship points.
On the 24th shot of the rally, Fritz sent a final forehand long as Musetti tumbled to the blue court in pure elation snapping a streak of seven straight Tour level finals losses.
Haunted by that losing streak, Musetti was wide awake in dream land regaining championship form today.
“It’s a lot of emotions. I don’t know how to describe it,” Musetti said. “It’s such a dream that I don’t want to wake up. I’m still dreaming. Really, really happy.”
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