🎾 Monte-Carlos Alcaraz

April 15, 2025

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Happy Tuesday! Alcaraz recovers from a set down to defeat Musetti in the Monte-Carlo final, reclaiming the world No. 2 ranking and early clay court supremacy. Clicks on our ad’s links help support independent tennis journalism, we appreciate your help!

In this week's newsletter:

  • 🧱 Carlos Alcaraz Claims First Big Title of 2025 at Monte-Carlo

  • 🎾 Weekly Roundup: Coaching Changes & Social Media Buzz

  • 🚀 Player Spotlight: Lorenzo Musetti’s Big Breakthrough

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🧱 Carlos Alcaraz Claims First Big Title of 2025 at Monte-Carlo 🧱

Image: AFP

Carlos Alcaraz rallied from a set down to defeat Lorenzo Musetti 3-6, 6-1, 6-0 in the Monte-Carlo Masters final, securing his first major title of 2025. The Spaniard struggled early, committing 11 forehand unforced errors in the opening set as Musetti took control. Alcaraz then found his rhythm in the second, winning five straight games before dominating the decider against an increasingly hampered Musetti, who battled a right leg injury.

The 21-year-old showed resilience throughout the week, dropping the first set in three matches but battling back each time. His quarterfinal against Arthur Fils was particularly crucial, with the Spaniard saving three break points at 5-5 in the second set before turning the tide. The mental toughness on display marks a stark contrast to what Alcaraz called "a difficult month both on and off court."

Alcaraz reclaims the world No. 2 ranking from Alexander Zverev and passes Jannik Sinner in the Race to Turin, leading with 2,410 points. He is once again the top threat for Roland-Garros and a return to No. 1. The six-time Masters 1000 champion heads into Barcelona and Madrid with momentum and the opportunity to widen the year-end race gap while Sinner remains sidelined until May. Alcaraz's early clay court success points to another deep run in Paris as he defends his 2024 French Open title.

🎾 Weekly Roundup: Coaching Changes & Social Media Buzz 🎾

Image: Diana Shnaider, Instagram

The field for the 2025 Billie Jean King Cup Finals is set! Hosts China will be joined by defending champions Italy, Great Britain, Japan, Kazakhstan, Spain, Ukraine, and the United States. The event takes place in Shenzhen from September 16 to 21.

Diana Shnaider hires former World No. 1 Dinara Safina as her new coach, following her split with Igor Andreev.  The 21-year-old world No. 12, who won four singles titles and an Olympic silver in doubles last year, kicked off the partnership with a first-round win at the Stuttgart Open yesterday.

Former South Korean No. 1 Kwon Soon-woo receives a special military service exemption to compete at the ATP Challenger 125 in Busan (April 14-20) while fulfilling his mandatory 18-month duty.

Caroline Wozniacki announces she's expecting her third child with husband and former NBA champion David Lee in a playful social media post. The former world No. 1, who staged a successful comeback in 2023, has not competed since last year's US Open with no indication yet on a post-pregnancy comeback.

Ben Shelton hilariously parodies fitness influencer Ashton Hall's viral "4 a.m. morning routine" while competing at Monte-Carlo, jogging through scenic views and offering mock wisdom: "Go to sleep 8 p.m., wake up 3 a.m., ice water on the face. That's it. Success.”

🚀 Player Spotlight: Lorenzo Musetti's Big Breakthrough 🚀

Image: Motorcycle Sports

Born in Carrara, Italy on March 3, 2002, Lorenzo Musetti began playing tennis at age four. His parents, Francesco, a marble producer, and Sabrina, a company secretary, supported his passion despite having no tennis background. Under coach Simone Tartarini, whom Musetti considers a "second father," he developed his distinctive one-handed backhand while idolizing Roger Federer. He trained at the Tirrenia Technical Centre before relocating to Monaco in 2020.

Musetti rose to junior world No. 1 and claimed the 2019 Australian Open boys’ title at just 16. His professional breakthrough came in 2020, with wins over Stan Wawrinka and Kei Nishikori at the Rome Masters, followed by his first Challenger title in Forlì. In 2021, he reached the French Open fourth round in his debut, pushing Djokovic to five sets. His elegant all-court game brought ATP titles in Hamburg and Naples in 2022, elevating him to No. 18 in April 2023. Now 23 and father to one-year-old Ludovico, Musetti balances tennis with family life.

The 2025 Monte-Carlo Masters showcased Musetti's potential when he reached his first Masters 1000 final after defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alex de Minaur in three-set thrillers. Though injury hindered him against Alcaraz in the final, he still achieved a career-high No. 11 ranking. "Clay is my natural habitat," Musetti reflected, with the week giving him "confidence to be more ambitious in bigger tournaments like Roland Garros."

🎥 Reel of the Week 🎥

Check out our most popular reel from last week, in which we collaborated with Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi to reminisce about the iconic “Indian Express”! Make sure to follow us if you haven’t yet for high quality reels like this!