“It’s great when you get rewarded,” is what Felix Auger Aliassime admitted after winning a bronze medal in the mixed doubles at the Paris Olympics. This victory didn’t just reward him with an achievement but also helped him cope with the disappointment that came out of his recent defeat against Carlos Alcaraz. Although he lost a chance to be in the finals, there still are hopes for another bronze medal in the singles category.

Lorenzo Musetti, after facing a defeat against Novak Djokovic, is looking forward to fighting for bronze against Auger-Aliassime. Both of them are experienced enough to compete against top-ranked rivals and this characteristic makes them tough rivals. But who has better odds of winning? Read on!

Lorenzo Musetti vs Felix Auger Aliassime: Preview

Musetti has won four of his last five matches, proving to be in remarkable form. He reached the final in Umag but lost to Cerundolo in three sets last week. Coming forward with similar levels in Paris, the Italian quickly bounced back and took down Monfils in straight sets in the first round. Musetti remained consistent and therefore secured another win over Navone, who was seen making numerous errors.

In the pre-quarters, the Italian took down the American hope bearer Taylor Fritz and lost his serve just once. He continued his remarkable performance by defeating Zverev in the quarterfinals. Although he faced a defeat against Djokovic in the semifinals, the 22-year-old still has a chance to revive himself.

Auger-Aliassime, on the other side, has also won four of his last five matches. He lost in the quarterfinals in Gstaad to Berrettini in straight sets just two weeks ago. The Canadian started strong in Paris and defeated Marcos Giron in the first round without offering any breakpoints.

In the second round, he played one of his best matches of the season against Marterer winning 6-0, 6-1. Felix extended his dominance by upsetting Medvedev in straight sets in the pre-quarters. However, it was none other than the young clay court champion Alcaraz in the semi-finals and therefore Auger was outplayed by him.

Musetti vs Aliassime: Head-to-head

Looking at the head-to-head statistics between Musetti and Auger-Aliassime, records depict a list of 5 intense showdowns. Both of them have always posed tough challenges against each other but the Canadian somehow stands slightly above his rival with a 3-2 lead.

Their last showdown was played at the Davis Cup semi-finals where Aliassime swiftly took the Italian down with a final scoreline of 6-3, 6-4. Here’s a list of the other matches played between them:

• Florence 2022 SFs: Auger Aliassime won 6-2, 6-3
• Monte Carlo 2022 R32: Musetti won 6-2, 7-6
• Lyon 2021 R32: Musetti won 7-6, 3-6, 7-5
• Barcelona 2021 R32: Aliassime won 4-6, 6-3, 6-0

Prediction: Musetti to win in three sets

Musetti has proved to be in excellent form lately as he made it to five consecutive semifinals. His recent performance includes a commendable campaign in Paris followed by leading the Italian team in the absence of Jannik Sinner. Although he faced a defeat against Novak Djokovic, he still had enough victories to establish fans’ faith in his dominance.

Auger-Aliassime, on the other side, also showed a remarkable boost in Paris. While his mixed doubles matches took place just hours before this upcoming showdown, the rigorous schedule and limited recovery time might affect his performance. Along with the scheduling and psychological aspects, Musetti’s playing style on clay also gives him an upper hand against Auger-Aliassime.

His greatest weapon is the backhand slice, which he uses effectively to disrupt his rivals with rhythm shifts. The Italian is also known to add variety to his groundstrokes. He plays it short and also throws in drop shots to counterpower hitters. This style blends well with his ability to mix up shots is highly effective on clay. Considering his current form and massive playing style, Musetti is predicted to win in three sets and go home with a bronze medal.