Player Features
Musetti eyes clay revival after injury frustration: ‘The results will arrive’
World No. 9 has competed in just three events since Australian Open QF retirement
April 22, 2026
Mutua Madrid Open
Lorenzo Musetti carries out his media day activities on Tuesday in Madrid.
By Jerome Coombe
Lorenzo Musetti has endured his share of misfortune with injuries this season, but the Italian is hopeful that a return to the Mutua Madrid Open can reignite his momentum.
After a heartbreaking retirement at the Australian Open in January — where he led Novak Djokovic by two sets in the quarter-finals — Musetti has competed in just three tournaments. The 24-year-old suffered opening-round exits in Indian Wells and Monte-Carlo before showing encouraging signs with a quarter-final run in Barcelona.
“I have been dealing with some injuries and issues after the Australian Open, so I needed to take a little bit more time to recover and be as healthy as possible,” Musetti told ATP Media ahead of his run at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Madrid. “I also needed matches and tournaments to find again the perfect shape on court, especially in a match.
“Here we are in Madrid with nice memories from last year. I’m feeling good in terms of health, so I’m looking forward to starting the tournament.”
Those memories are significant. Musetti enjoyed a standout clay-court season in 2025, compiling a 19-4 record on the surface, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index. He became the first Italian to reach at least the semi-finals at all three Masters 1000 clay events (Monte-Carlo, Madrid, Rome), as well as Roland Garros, in the same year, which proved to be the foundation of a terrific overall campaign that resulted in a debut appearance at the Nitto ATP Finals.
While his early loss in Monte-Carlo this year to home favourite Valentin Vacherot was a setback, Musetti showed encouraging signs in Barcelona. With victories over Martin Landaluce and Corentin Moutet, the 24-year-old managed to build some rhythm ahead of his return to Madrid, where he reached the semi-finals last year.
“It was, for sure, better than the others,” Musetti, the No. 9 player in the PIF ATP Rankings, said with a smile when asked about his run to the Barcelona quarter-finals last week. “The most important thing is that I played three matches with the right mentality. I practised very well throughout the month and I know that the results will arrive.”
Match sharpness remains essential, but so too is managing his physical condition — a balance Musetti appears to be rediscovering. His movement in Barcelona, particularly during a hard-fought contest against the tricky left-hander Moutet, suggested progress.
Confidence is also beginning to return. Despite the disappointment in Monte-Carlo, Musetti recognises the importance of patience while he works his way back to top form.
“I didn’t play matches for more than two months, so it was pretty tough for me to enter Monte-Carlo without any matches on clay,” Musetti said. “I needed some time to adapt myself, my brain and body, to accept certain moments of the match. It’s really tough to replicate those moments in practice.”
Seeded sixth in Madrid, Musetti will open his campaign against Hubert Hurkacz or qualifier Jaime Faria, aiming to rediscover the level that he carried through a breakthrough clay swing last season.
