By Richard Pagliaro | Tuesday, August 26, 2025
Photo credit: Maddie Meyer/Getty
NEW YORK—A streaking Lorenzo Musetti flicked a running backhand strike down the line and paused to watch his work.
The yellow ball dripped inside the baseline like a splash of yellow paint on a blue canvas in Louis Armstrong Stadium.
In a clash of artist vs. annihilator, a creative Musetti carved up crusher Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 6-7(3), 6-3, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 to advance to the US Open second round.
It is Musetti’s fourth trip to the Flushing Meadows’ second round and his ninth consecutive win over a fellow one-handed backhand player.
The towering Mpetshi Perricard owns what fellow massive server Nick Kyrgios calls the most imposing serve in the sport.
Today, Musetti matched Mpetshi Perricard’s ace output (13), won a slightly higher percentage of first points, dominated on his second serve, winning 28 of 32 second-serve points (88 percent), and did not face a single break point in a confident two hour, 32-minute triumph.
“I really showed what I can do mentally,” Musetti said. “I sticked to the plan and I’m really, really happy with this win.”
It was Musetti’s third win over Mpetshi Perricard in as many meetings following his 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-2 triumph in the 2024 Wimbledon round of 16 that saw the Italian make a career-best run to the SW19 semifinals.
This is the first time in Open Era history two Italian men—Musetti and defending champion Jannik Sinner—are Top 10 seeds at the US Open.
While a ruthless Sinner was shredding Czech Vit Kopriva 6-1, 6-1, 6-2 on adjacent Arthur Ashe Stadium, Musetti was making some shot-making magic on Armstrong.
Both Sinner and Musetti are part of an Italian renaissance that has come to the States in recent weeks. After Jasmine Paolini’s run to the Cincinnati final, her doubles partner, Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori, successfully defended their US Open mixed doubles championship, earning the $1 million champions’ check, in the newly-reimagined mixed doubles event last week.
The 10th-seeded Musetti said Davis Cup teammate Sinner is an inspiration occupying the place he hopes to someday reach.
“First of all thanks to all the Italians here who support me today,” Musetti said. “I know a big [Italian] community here in New York and I appreciate all the support I receive daily.
“Italian tennis right now is living its best period and I’m really grateful to be part of it. To be Top 10 was probably the biggest dream I had in my childhood and I was fighting every day to achieve that dream. Hopefully I can reach another dream to become No. 1 in the world.”
Realizing that dream will require Musetti to play a bit more offensive tennis on faster surfaces like these Flushing Meadows hard courts.
Mpetshi Perricard is not the type of server that eases his way into matches. He was bombing 139 mph missiles from the first game today.
The sound of the Frenchman’s ballistic serve when it crashes into the tape recalls a sledgehammer hitting the rail of a train track—you’re almost surprised he doesn’t knock the entire net over when it happens.
World No. 37 Mpetshi Perricard unloaded a couple of big forehands earning the mini break at 4-2 in the tiebreaker then eliciting a couple of forehand misses to take the opener in 43 minutes.
Musetti is a wonderful volleyer—he showed that in US Open mixed doubles partnering American Caty McNally—and showed flashes of his net skills today.
Bouncing off the court, Musetti pulled off a leaping Edberg-esque high backhand volley winner. That superb shot, which preceded a double fault and a Mpetshi Perricard backhand volley miss, helped the Italian earn the first break for 3-1 57 minutes into the match.
A second serve ace down the T helped Musetti back up the break for 4-1.
It requires heavy rotation to spin the ball above the sizeable shoulders of the 6’8” Frenchman, but Musetti did exactly that earning set point to snatch the second set after 72 minutes of play.
A big difference in this rivalry is Musetti’s skill conjuring the running strike—and the fact he doesn’t overplay on return just trying to meet the missile and redirect it into play. Though Mpetshi Perricard saved two break points to start the third set, he coughed up a pair of double faults, including one off the tape that fell wide, to gift the third-set break and a 4-3 lead to Musetti.
Moving his serve around the box, Musetti won eight of his last nine service points in that third set for a two-sets to one lead after one hour, 49 minutes.
The Frenchman’s forehand is a formidable shot but he sprayed one long dropping serve to trail 2-3 in the fourth set.
Musetti whipped a slick forehand swing volley holding to back up the break for 4-2 and never looked back in a two hour, 32-minute triumph.
The Muse Man doesn’t have to look far for compatriot competition. Musetti resides in the same top quarter of the draw along with top-seeded Sinner and dangerous 24th-seeded Flavio Cobolli, who is coming off the Wimbledon quarterfinals and served for the Toronto quarterfinals before bowing to Ben Shelton in a tense third-set tiebreaker.
How far can Musetti go?
Well, if he serves a sharply as he did today, a second week trip is not out of the question, but it won’t be easy.
Next up for Musetti is either Frenchman Quentin Halys or David Goffin, who beat Carlos Alcaraz in Miami in March, with the winner facing either Cobolli or American Jenson Brooksby in round three.
