Still just 23 and already a multiple Grand Slam semifinalist who ranks among the world’s top five players, the future appears both bright and expansive for Lorenzo Musetti.
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But while there are all positives looking forward, there’s an equally fond sense of nostalgia for the Italian – especially as the tour winds its way back to a favourite city of Melbourne.
In 2019, the then-17-year-old announced his arrival with victory over Emilio Nava to win the Australian Open boys’ title. Musetti is regularly reminded of that breakthrough as he practises at the National Tennis Centre at Melbourne Park, where a gallery of AO junior champions greets players and their entourages.
“I mean, it’s super nice. I have a really huge memory from when I look at the picture,” said Musetti, telling The Sit-Down podcast how his AO breakthrough sparked the passion to replicate the feat at pro level.
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“I was really, really young but in the eyes, I could see that there was this kind of hunger, you know, to be here.”
It’s not the only throwback that’s serving Musetti superbly in his rise to a career-high world No.5 ranking. Renowned for his entertaining court craft and ability to execute sublime shotmaking, Musetti likes to describe his playing style as “vintage”.
“I like to mix up a lot, to vary the game, with the slices, with the drop shot. Sometimes coming to the net,” he said.
The pillar for that artistic ability is his one-handed backhand, which Musetti modelled on that of his childhood hero, Roger Federer. He was thrilled to learn Stan Wawrinka had singled out his signature stroke as not only a standout, but one that could keep the increasingly rare stroke alive.
“For me, you know, Stan, is probably one of the kings of the one-handed backhand,” he smiled, explaining it came naturally when he first took up tennis at age four.
“I think it's really, really hard to compete with one-handed backhand but hopefully, as Stan said, I can keep the one-handed backhand alive.”
In his fifth main-draw campaign in Melbourne, those combined talents were delivering new milestones for the 23-year-old. Already a semifinalist at Wimbledon in 2024 and Roland Garros in 2025, Musetti arrived in Melbourne after contesting a ninth ATP final in Hong Kong.
Raised on the clay courts in his native Italy, where he grew up in the marble-producing city of Carrara, Musetti is now increasingly dangerous on all surfaces and buoyed by the confidence he gained as a US Open quarterfinalist last year.
“You know, there are rallies, it's not just serve and return,” he said of competing on hard courts. “I think understanding that and trying to be a little bit more aggressive … especially [with] the first shot after the serve has helped me take a step forward on this surface. But of course, now I'm feeling more complete in general.”
Musetti is also proving a wise head on young shoulders in other ways. A natural maturity comes through travelling the world with a young family, with Musetti and his partner Veronica parents to sons Ludovico (almost two) and Leandro (who was born in November last year).
After wins over Raphael Collignon and Lorenzo Sonego, Musetti next faces Tomas Machac, where victory on Saturday would see him advance to the Australian Open second week for the first time.
It would also solidify Musetti’s sense of belonging in the upper echelon – but even from his lofty position as the world’s fifth-best player, the Italian is keeping a level head.
“The top five is something … as I said on court, I don't feel like it's like a finishing point. It’s a starting point for me in my head,” he noted.
“Maybe I will never, you know, go higher. But my mentality is trying to go higher and to make that happen even soon.”