Lorenzo Musetti achieved a milestone at the Bank of China Hong Kong Tennis Open, defeating former champion Andrey Rublev in a thrilling semifinal. The Italian rallied from a set down to win 6-7(3), 7-5, 6-4, booking his place in the final and ensuring his debut inside the Top 5 of the ATP Rankings.
Historic achievement for Italian tennis
With this result, Musetti becomes only the third Italian player in the Open Era to break into the Top 5, following Adriano Panatta in 1976 and Jannik Sinner in 2024. The 23-year-old is now guaranteed a career-high ranking of No. 5 when the new standings are released on Monday.
Musetti’s reaction
After the match, Musetti reflected on the level of play and the atmosphere in Hong Kong. “It was quite a match, I think I’ve never played like this here in Hong Kong,” said Musetti. “It was a really incredible level. Every time I was raising his level, and in the end, I increased mine. So I’m really happy to be in the final.”
Key moments in the semifinal
The turning point came in the second set when Musetti, serving at 3-4, saved two crucial break points in a marathon game that featured six deuces. That hold kept him alive and allowed him to swing momentum in his favor. He later broke Rublev to take the set 7-5 and carried his confidence into the decider, closing out the match 6-4.
What comes next
Musetti will face either Alexander Bublik or Marcos Giron in the championship match. He is also competing in the doubles final alongside compatriot Lorenzo Sonego, making this a potentially historic weekend for Italian tennis.
A rising star
Musetti’s victory not only marks his ninth ATP Tour final but also confirms his rise among the elite of men’s tennis. His breakthrough into the Top 5 underscores his growing consistency and ability to deliver under pressure, placing him firmly among the sport’s brightest talents.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWIR4fLb7W4
ATP Hong Kong - Lorenzo Musetti's projected path
Musetti in Hong Kong, ranking, and results in 2026
Currently ranked no.7, the Italian achieved a 3-0 win-loss record in 2026. The Italian is competing in Hong Kong where he beat the world no.57 Tomas Martin Etcheverry 6-7(3) 6-2 6-4, the world no.150 Chak Lam Coleman Wong 6-4 6-4 and the world no.16 Andrey Rublev 6-7(3) 7-5 6-4.
Andrey Rublev in 2026
LWWLWWW Now the world no.16, Rublev played his last match on the 10th of January when he lost to world no.7 Lorenzo Musetti 6-7(3) 7-5 6-4 in the semifinal in Hong Kong (draw).
This year Rublev has managed to achieve a composed 2-1 match record. Andrey Rublev’s latest run in Hong Kong was the best achievement of his season.
He is also scheduled to play in Paris (Rolex Paris Masters) after Vienna. The main draw will start on the 20th of October.
Lorenzo Musetti and Andrey Rublev squared off only 2 times. Their record is 1-1.
