Introduction:
Novak Djokovic is confidently preparing to face Lorenzo Musetti in the third round of the 2024 Monte-Carlo Masters. Djokovic began his clay court season with a dominating win over Roman Safiullin, defeating him 6-1, 6-2 in just an hour and ten minutes.
Djokovic is set to have a rematch against Musetti, who surprised everyone by beating the world No. 1 in their third-round encounter last year. When asked if he was “scared” to face Musetti again, Djokovic expressed confidence in his abilities and dismissed any such concerns. He even mentioned wishing for Musetti to advance to the third round so they could have another chance to compete against each other. “I’m not scared of anything and anybody, but I really hope that I can get the chance to play him again and get another matchup here,” Djokovic said during his post-match press conference.
The Serbian tennis star also praised Musetti’s exceptional talent, particularly his one-handed backhand and impressive athleticism. “He obviously is, you know, one of the most talented players on clay, a beautiful one-handed backhand. He’s very athletic. He can do a lot of great things, and he’s one of the most promising young players, not only from Italy, but generally for the world,” Djokovic added.
Djokovic mentioned feeling significantly better in his opening match at this year’s Monte-Carlo Masters compared to 2023, and expressed optimism about showcasing his best level against Musetti. “I like the way I played my first match comparing to the first match last year. So, I feel much different, more ready, so whoever is across the net, I’m hoping I can deliver my best game,” he said during the same press conference.
Lorenzo Musetti defeated Arthur Fils 6-3, 7-5 to book his place against the world No. 1. Despite Djokovic’s shocking loss to the Italian at last year’s tournament, he holds a 3-1 lead in their head-to-head record and remains confident in his chances of beating the 22-year-old. If Djokovic prevails over Musetti, he will go on to face either Alex de Minaur or Alexei Popyrin in the fourth round.
