Carlos Alcaraz beat Lorenzo Musetti to win the Monte-Carlo Masters for the first time, picking up his first ATP Masters 1000 title in 13 months.
Alcaraz, the reigning Wimbledon and French Open champion, was playing in his first final at this level since winning Indian Wells in March 2024.
He needed to fight back after dropping the opening set, even though he broke the Italian in the first game. Musetti pressed him in the next game and eventually broke back himself.
He then raced ahead to win four consecutive games and ultimately take the first set 6-3.
But Alcaraz stormed back, bellowing with satisfaction after breaking Musetti in the Italian’s first service game of the second set.
The Spaniard maintained his ruthless streak to go 4-0 up in the second and claimed that set 6-1.
Alcaraz snatched a break in the first game of the third set and pressed home his advantage.
Musetti was struggling physically in that third set and the physio came out to work on him after he lost the first three games.
He slumped to defeat, with Alcaraz easily converting the first of two championship points to win in three sets, 3-6 6-1 6-0.
“It’s not the way that I would have wanted to win a match,” Alcaraz said afterwards. “I’m just really happy to have won.
“It’s been a really difficult week with a lot of difficult situations,” he added. “Coming here and seeing the hard work pay off is really, really nice.”
His only other title this year came at the Rotterdam Open in February but this sixth Masters triumph will be a welcome boost for the Spaniard ahead of the upcoming majors.
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