Lorenzo Musetti says who he ‘hopes’ to play in the Vienna final between Jannik Sinner and Alex de Minaur

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Lorenzo Musetti is just one match away from reaching his third ATP final of the season.

The Italian number two has yet to drop a set at the Vienna Open, defeating Hamad Medjedovic, Tomas Martin Etcheverry, and Corentin Moutet en route to the last four.

He will play Germany’s Alexander Zverev in the semifinals, against whom he leads the head-to-head, 3-1.

Should he advance past Zverev in the semis, he’ll meet either Alex de Minaur or his fellow Italian Jannik Sinner in the final.

During his latest press conference, Musetti named who he would like to play in Sunday’s Championship match.

Lorenzo Musetti ‘hopes’ to play Jannik Sinner in the Vienna Open final

After he and Sinner made their way through to the last four, Musetti shared his thoughts on the current state of Italian tennis.

“We’re living in a golden age, and I’m lucky to be part of it,” said Musetti.

“It often happens that Italians face each other in the draws, and it will happen again in Paris. It’s great for the fans, but it’s not easy for us to play against each other almost every week, but it’s a sign that there are so many of us at a high level.”

Receiving a bye into round two of the Paris Masters, Musetti will play Lorenzo Sonego, should the 30-year-old win his opening match against a qualifier.

Musetti is hoping to play another Italian before then, with one eye on the Vienna Open final.

“Jannik [Sinner]? He’s simply extraordinary right now. Indoors, he’s in perfect condition; he’s winning a lot and it’s truly impressive,” he said.

“I hope, who knows, to be able to challenge him soon, maybe on Sunday.”

Musetti and Sinner have played three times previously on the ATP Tour, with all three matches going the way of the world number two.

• 2025 US Open QF – Jannik Sinner defeated Lorenzo Musetti, 6-1, 6-4, 6-2
• 2023 Monte-Carlo Masters QF – Jannik Sinner defeated Lorenzo Musetti, 6-2, 6-2
• 2021 European Open 2R – Jannik Sinner defeated Lorenzo Musetti, 7-5, 6-2

While it’s commendable to hear that Musetti wants to test himself against the very best, deep down, he may secretly be hoping that De Minaur reaches the final, given his head-to-head success against the Aussie.

• 2025 Madrid Open 4R – Lorenzo Musetti defeated Alex de Minaur, 6-4, 6-2
• 2025 Monte-Carlo Masters SF – Lorenzo Musetti defeated Alex de Minaur, 1-6, 6-4, 7-6
• 2024 Queen’s 1R – Lorenzo Musetti defeated Alex de Minaur, 1-6, 6-4, 6-2
• 2022 Australian Open 1R – Alex de Minaur defeated Lorenzo Musetti, 3-6, 6-3, 6-0, 6-3

At this year’s Monte-Carlo Masters, Musetti defeated De Minaur in three sets to reach his maiden Masters 1000 final.

He’d surely love a repeat result should they meet in Vienna, but won’t want to get too far ahead of himself, as he first focuses on his semifinal match against Zverev on Saturday, October 25.

ATP Finals qualification beckons for Lorenzo Musetti

Getting the job done in Vienna, Musetti edged closer to securing his place in next month’s ATP Finals.

Two retirements in Basel helped him out, as both Felix Auger-Aliassime and Casper Ruud, two of his closest challengers, fell at the quarterfinal stage.

However, Musetti insisted that he wants to qualify for Turin on merit and said he was disappointed to see his rivals pick up injuries.

“[Felix] Auger-Aliassime and [Casper] Ruud withdrew in Basel. Unfortunately, the season is challenging; they won two tournaments before Vienna,” he said.

“I think they [the withdrawals] could be preventative measures to be able to play the Masters 1000 in Paris with peace of mind and do well there.

“Obviously, I’m disappointed. I want to earn my way to the Finals, trying to win everything I can.”

Only time will tell if Musetti can qualify for his maiden ATP Finals in 2025…

Ruud and Auger-Aliassime will likely return to the court at the Paris Masters, which is scheduled to begin on Monday, October 27.