“I’m more than typical,” says Lorenzo Musetti, speaking in very good but heavily accented English. We’re in the back of a hired car on the way to Wimbledon in late June, talking about the 23-year-old rising tennis star’s innate Italian qualities. “I have all the positives and negatives. Let’s start with the negatives: Sometimes when things get heated, we get even more fired up. On the other hand, of course, we bring elegance, style, and Italian culture to the court—trying to be smooth.”
Many may try, but Musetti, in a meteoric year or two, has rocketed from a ranking in the 30s to as high as sixth in the world. “He reached the finals at Queen’s and the semifinals at Wimbledon last year, won a bronze medal at the Olympics, then had an incredible clay court season and made the semifinals at the French Open,” says coach, commentator, and former pro Brad Gilbert. “Almost out of nowhere, he started playing the best tennis of his career.”
What has really set the tennis world abuzz, though, is how Musetti climbed those rankings. Working with the same hitting coach, Simone Tartarini, since he was nine (“It’s been a very long dream,” Tartarini says), Musetti swings the racket with a grace and jaw-dropping form not seen since his childhood idol, Roger Federer. That might explain why TV coverage of his matches often includes slow-motion replays of his masterful one-handed backhand—a blend of elegance and effortless style that often leaves even tennis commentators speechless.
Musetti’s personal life has been flourishing too. He and his partner, Veronica Confalonieri—they met, of course, at a tennis club—welcomed their son, Ludovico, last year, and another child is due in November. When not traveling the global tennis circuit, Musetti and Confalonieri spend much of their time at home in Monte Carlo, swimming, boating, and cooking together—the latter a skill he picked up from his grandmother and mother.
TOUCH GRASS
Musetti enters the U.S. Open ranked 10th in the world. He wears Cassie Mercantile.
He started playing tennis at age four in his hometown of Carrara, Tuscany, hitting balls back and forth with his father in his grandmother’s garage. By 10, he was traveling the world as a junior player, and at 12, he was winning Italian national championships.
“I grew up with Carlos [Alcaraz] and Jannik [Sinner],” Musetti says. “We were supposed to be the new generation coming up, and we faced a lot of media pressure and high expectations. But Jannik and Carlos are now the leaders of the tour, and I’m a top-10 player getting closer—so maybe they were right about us.”
The past year hasn’t been without setbacks, though. On a roll at the French Open in early June, Musetti suffered a leg injury and had to retire from his semifinal match against Alcaraz. A few weeks later, a stomach virus caused him to lose over four pounds in two days just before Wimbledon, ruining his chances (he exited in the first round). Afterward, he took a couple of days off, “enjoying the summer here on the Côte d’Azur,” he says, before resuming training for the American hard court season. He avoided watching Wimbledon entirely, except for matches involving his Italian friends Flavio Cobolli, Lorenzo Sonego, and Sinner, the eventual champion. (“I don’t like to watch too much,” Musetti says. “It’s kind of sad to see where you should be, where you wanted to be.”) Now well-rested and match-fit heading into the US Open, he seems ready for more big achievements.
“The biggest challenge for him is going to be making a dent against Alcaraz and Sinner,” Gilbert says. “Can he go one step further and be as consistent as they’ve been? These are big questions, but he’s on the right path, that’s for sure.”
I see the tattoo.On Musetti’s tricep is a tattoo of a spiking EKG line—which he tells me is his actual heartbeat—with a tennis racket in the middle. I ask him if he has any other tattoos.
“I have three,” he says, turning his hand toward me. “The heartbeat; another one here on my wrist that says ‘family’ with an anchor. And on my rib, a line from a Luciano Ligabue song: il meglio deve ancora venire.”
Translation: The best is yet to come.
In this story: Grooming by Laurence Walker. Produced by Partner Films. Set Design by Jess Griffin.
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of FAQs about Lorenzo Musettis potential impact on tennis designed to be clear and helpful for fans of all levels
General Beginner Questions
Q Who is Lorenzo Musetti
A He is a talented Italian professional tennis player known for his stylish onehanded backhand and creative shotmaking
Q How old is he and where is he from
A He was born on March 3 2002 making him a young star in the sport He is from Carrara Italy
Q Why are people talking about him making a major impact
A Because he has already beaten top players has a unique and exciting playing style and is seen as part of the next generation of stars who will challenge the very best
Q What is his current ranking
A His ranking fluctuates with tournament results but he has been consistently ranked inside the ATP Top 30 often pushing towards the Top 20
Q Whats his best shot
A His onehanded backhand especially his downtheline winner and his effective backhand slice Many consider it one of the most beautiful shots in tennis today
Advanced InDepth Questions
Q What are the biggest strengths of his game
A His variety touch and creativity He uses drop shots angles and changes of pace effectively making him unpredictable and difficult to play against
Q What does he need to improve to win a major tournament
A Primarily his physical conditioning and mental consistency over bestoffiveset matches in Grand Slams Adding more power to his serve and forehand would also elevate his game
Q Who are some bigname players he has already beaten
A He has notable wins over top players like Novak Djokovic Carlos Alcaraz Stan Wawrinka and Dominic Thiem
Q Has he won any ATP Tour titles yet
A Yes he has won multiple ATP titles including trophies on clay courts in Hamburg and Naples and on hard courts in Sardinia
Q What surface is he best on
A While skilled on all surfaces his game is particularly wellsuited to clay courts which allow him more time to set