Musetti wins the derby with Cobolli and goes to the final in Lyon

Flavio Cobolli is number 6 in the ranking, Lorenzo Musetti has dropped to 24th place but the rankings are sometimes worth less than tradition and so also in Lyon, in the semi-final of the ATP 250 'Grand Prix Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes' tournament, the Carrarino has once again prevailed, so far undefeated in the challenges with his Roman friend.

In the first all-Italian semi-final on hard court, Musetti cameback to win 4-6, 6-2, 7-5, after saving four match points on serve at 4-5 in the third set. A success that earned him the tenth singles final on the major circuit, where he will find the American Taylor Fritz, who won the Stars and Stripes derby with Tommy Paul 6-3, 7-5. Curiously, Fritz is the only Top 10 player that Musetti has beaten this year before today's comeback against Cobolli. That success, in the round of 16 of the Australian Open, remains one of the best matches of the season for Carrarino, who then arrived against Novak Djokovic one set from the semi-final and from reaching the Top 3, before the first of a series of injuries that undermined his season.

Overall, Musetti is ahead 4-3 in the head-to-head matches against Fritz, currently number 14 in the world, and tomorrow he will have the chance to improve that score and bring home a title that is not a leading one but an important one to give a signal of complete recovery in view of a 2027 that he hopes to live in a different sporting way. Coming one step away from defeat in the third set, Musetti at 4-5 in the decisive set kept his nerve, canceling all four match points conceded in that game - including two consecutive ones at 15/40 - and then raising the level of aggression and closing the match after two hours and 32 minutes of play.

"It's really difficult to play against a friend like Flavio. I know how important this match was for him - declared the winner -. At the same time, since I haven't played many tournaments, having the opportunity to reach a final and regain the best form means a lot. I fought until the end. We probably both deserved to win."