Musetti masters Marterer on Marseille debut

Lorenzo Musetti pulled through a topsy-turvy start to notch an ultimately straightforward first-round win Monday at the Open 13 Provence in Marseille.

The sixth-seeded Italian overcame Maximilian Marterer 6-4, 6-2 to improve to 4-0 in opening rounds for the 2024 season. Musetti converted five of 14 break points he earned, according to Infosys ATP Stats, to set a second-round clash with 2008 Marseille champion Andy Murray or Tomas Machac.

“It was not an easy match, not an easy start,” said Musetti. “He was serving really well, and I managed to come back a few times in the first set. Then I found my rhythm a little bit, especially in the second set. I think I returned pretty well today and I liked the surface and the stadium on my first time here.”

Debut win in Marseille! 🙌@Lorenzo1Musetti moves past Marterer 6-4 6-2 @Open13 | #open13provence pic.twitter.com/QnefhIMUig

— ATP Tour (@atptour) February 5, 2024

Musetti let slip a 2-0 lead in the first set against Marterer before rallying from a break down at 3-4 to move ahead in his maiden Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting with Marterer. He then reeled off four games in a row from 2-2 in the second set to wrap a one-hour, 48-minute triumph.

Roberto Bautista Agut and Alexander Shevchenko spoiled the party for the home fans in the other main-draw matches on Day 1 at the indoor hard-court ATP 250. Bautista Agut defeated Richard Gasquet 6-3, 7-5 to advance to face third seed Karen Khachanov, while Shevchenko overcame Benjamin Bonzi 7-6(4), 6-4.

The 23-year-old Shevchenko, who is No. 56 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings after reaching the quarter-finals in Montpellier last week, will next take on defending champion and top seed Hubert Hurkacz.