Final Preview: Alcaraz chases sixth Masters against first-time finalist Musetti

Carlos Alcaraz will aim to capture his sixth ATP Masters 1000 title on Sunday when he meets Italian Lorenzo Musetti in a blockbuster Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters final.

The Spaniard arrived in Monte-Carlo off the back of a shock opening-round exit to David Goffin in Miami but has silenced any doubts over his recent form with his performances in The Principality.

After defeating Francisco Cerundolo and Daniel Altmaier, the 21-year-old was resilient to overcome Arthur Fils in a three-set thriller and then beat Alejandro Davidovich Fokina to advance to his seventh Masters 1000 final and first since Indian Wells 13 months ago.

“It’s been a long time,” said Alcaraz of his 13-month absence in Masters 1000 finals. “I just had to be patient and believe that this moment was going to come again. Sometimes the people are not patient, they want me to make the final in every tournament. I’m really happy to give them the chance to watch one of my finals again.”

Standing in his way at 12 p.m. CEST on Sunday is first-time Masters 1000 finalist Lorenzo Musetti.

A look at how the two players match up with their scores from Monte Carlo 2025 🔎

Who will get their hands on the trophy🏆❓#TennisInsights | @atptour | @ROLEXMCMASTERS pic.twitter.com/emJ0OC23cY

— Tennis Insights (@tennis_insights) April 12, 2025

The Italian has demonstrated impressive clay-court pedigree in the past. He won the bronze medal on the surface at the Paris Olympics last season, defeated Novak Djokovic in Monte-Carlo in 2023 and lifted the title at the ATP 500 in Hamburg in 2022.

This week, he has upped his level on the clay again. Musetti produced an impressive shotmaking performance to eliminate three-time champion Stefanos Tsitsipas in the quarter-finals and then showed grit and quality to take out Alex de Minaur in the last four. It is the first time Musetti has beaten two Top-10 players at the same event.

“The confidence is something that you have to experience to believe,” Musetti said on his run in Monte-Carlo. “It is something really remarkable, sharing these beautiful moments with my friends and family. It is my home and I feel at home.”

Musetti will be chasing his third tour-level title and first since 2022 and if he triumphs he will become just the third Italian to win a Masters 1000 title alongside four-time titlist Jannik Sinner and 2019 Monte-Carlo winner Fabio Fognini. On what could be a groundbreaking the day, the 23-year-old would also break into the Top 10 in the PIF ATP Rankings for the first time if he defeats Alcaraz, rising to a career-high No. 7 on Monday.

Alcaraz, who won in Rotterdam earlier this season, is seeking his third Masters 1000 crown on clay and ninth overall, having triumphed at Roland Garros last season. The Spaniard takes a 3-1 Lexus ATP Head2Head series lead into his clash with Musetti and will climb to No. 2 in the PIF ATP Rankings, surpassing Zverev, if he can improve that record on Sunday.

Alcaraz has won the pair’s previous three meetings in straight sets but lost on clay to the Italian in the Hamburg final in 2022. The second-seeded Spaniard will bring explosive baseline power and athleticism to the court Sunday, blending heavy forehands with deft drop shots and sharp net play to control the tempo. Musetti will look to counter with flair and finesse, his one-handed backhand a highlight reel of angles and touch, constantly shifting rhythm with spin and creativity.

So who will come out on top in a final that is expected to deliver top-tier shotmaking and drama? Watch from 12 p.m. CEST/6am ET on Sunday.

Watch semi-final highlights here: