Carlos Alcaraz may have lifted the Monte-Carlo Masters trophy, but his post-match words revealed mixed emotions after a bittersweet final against Lorenzo Musetti.
The 21-year-old Spaniard claimed his first Monte-Carlo title by defeating Musetti 3-6, 6-1, 6-0. Although Alcaraz didn’t start strong and dropped the opening set, he bounced back in dominant fashion. However, the momentum shift in the match came not only from Alcaraz’s play—but also from Musetti’s visible physical struggles.
The Italian managed to win the first set, but his game began to unravel in the second. By the third set, Musetti was clearly in pain, requiring a physio consultation. Despite the discomfort, he chose to continue playing rather than retire, pushing through the final games to give the crowd some closure.
Alcaraz, ever the sportsman, admitted he wasn’t entirely comfortable winning under those circumstances.
“It is not the way I would have wanted to win a match,” Alcaraz said after the final.
“Thinking about Lorenzo, he has been through a tough week, played long matches. I feel sorry for him. It is one of his best results, ending up like this is not easy. Hopefully it is nothing serious and he will be 100 per cent soon.”
While showing empathy for his opponent, Alcaraz also acknowledged the personal significance of the victory. This was his first Masters 1000 title since winning Indian Wells in 2024, and it capped off a challenging stretch both physically and mentally.
“I am really happy to win Monte-Carlo for the first time,” he said.
“It has been a really difficult week with a lot of difficult situations. I am proud with how I dealt with everything. It has been a difficult month for me, so coming here and seeing the hard work pay off makes me happy.”
As for Musetti, he later opened up about his struggles. Though he felt confident in his game plan and ball striking, his body simply couldn’t keep up.
“I was feeling the ball really well today. I had a clear mind what I had to do. But physically I was struggling,” Musetti admitted.
“At the end, the fatigue and stress from previous matches caught up with me. I couldn’t fight until the end.”
Despite the unfortunate finish, both players showed heart and class—Alcaraz with his empathy in victory, and Musetti with his resilience in defeat.
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