Now comes the real test

Let's see if the Italian is really up to speed, shall we?

In Musetti's first two matches, I mentioned in my previews that he had a matchup advantage, due to facing players who lacked the aggression/intensity and net play to really punish him in these conditions. Arnaldi was physically limited and retired, and while he won against Vukic, it was not flawless. Now, he gets to face someone who plays really aggressively and has been quite impressive in his matches so far. I found Jodar good against Fils, and he was able to easily dispatch Nishikori after that. Something that could end up being a real headache for Musetti is the fact that Rafael returns very aggressively, taking a lot of time away - which is what Musetti struggles with the most on a court like this. Lorenzo needs to be able to consistently extend rallies so that his variety can start bothering Jodar. I remember both Michelsen and Tiafoe employing the same tactic against Musetti... rushing either wing and then closing the net; it's hard for him to properly make passing shots while under this kind of pressure. Well, at least Jodar's net game is not as developed, if you want to look at the positives from Musetti's point of view!

If this were played on clay or grass, I would like Musetti's chances more. Combine that with the fact that he still might need some time to get back to his level, and this test might be coming on the wrong surface, a little bit too early...