Monte Carlo Masters 2024: Arthur Fils vs Lorenzo Musetti; Preview, Head-to-Head, Prediction

Round 2 of the Monte Carlo Masters is upon us, and the tennis world is here for it. Arthur Fils will play against Lorenzo Musetti in one clash, and the two have nothing but victory in mind. The action in the last week has served to entice tennis fans and will continue to draw in viewers if the two can keep up with the rest of the tour.

The hard-court tournaments of 2024 have not been kind to Fils or Musetti. Both have struggled to keep up with the rest of the players on tour, but they have not given up on rising to the level of international demands.

Arthur Fils vs Lorenzo Musetti: Preview 

The young Frenchman has faced disappointment several times this year. Besides a semifinal run atthe ASB Classics, his performances have been marked by early exits. He faced several first and second-round exits, with a minor break as he won two matches in the Indian Wells Masters. His performance on clay courts has been iffy as well. After a first-round exit in the Rio Open, he managed to win one clash in the Argentina Open and the Estoril Open. 

Regardless, clay suits Fils’ big and loopy forehand and he found his form in the first round of the Monte Carlo Masters. He faced Yannick Hanfmann and beat the German player in a dominating 6-0, 6-2 win. 

Musetti has not fared any better than Fils. His best performance this year came in the Miami Open, where he managed to win consecutive, beating Ben Shelton in the second round. However, Carlos Alcaraz sent him packing in the third. In the ATP Rotterdam, Qatar Open, Dubai Tennis Championships and the Estoril Open, he would lose in the first round.

In the Hong Kong Open, Australian Open, and Open 13, he lost in round 2, not painting a good image for himself. Musetti showed some promise on the clay of Monte Carlo Masters. He faced and demolished Taylor Fritz 6-4, 6-4 to now face Fils.

Fils vs Musetti: Head-to-Head

The French and the Italian players are set to be a part of a first-ever. They have never played against each other on the ATP Tour and will aim to overcome each other to move ahead in Monte Carlo. The crowd will be witness to new strategies as Fils and Musetti aim to understand each other’s game better.

Prediction: Musetti to move ahead

Musetti appears to be at ease on clay with his heavy topspin and excellent ball hitting, having defeated Fritz in two sets in the previous round. Musetti also defeated Novak Djokovic in the round of 16 in the 2023 Monte Carlo Masters. Fils is also an excellent clay player, having won his first ATP championship last spring on the dirt in Lyon.

The win percentage on clay does not set them apart much, as Fils has a win percentage of 62.1%, and Musetti has a win percentage of 63.95%. The Italian player feels at home playing in Monte Carlo and is in top shape. Fils does perform better under pressure, as he has saved 64.24% of breakpoints in the last 6 months, whereas Musetti has saved 55.33%, making it his only advantage for now.

The Italian should come out in top, most likely in straight sets.

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