By Kwame Bediako
Carlos Alcaraz has secured his place in the final at Roland Garros after Lorenzo Musetti was forced to retire from their semifinal match due to a leg injury. The Italian player was battling through the fourth set when he called for medical treatment and ultimately could not continue, allowing Alcaraz to advance to the championship match. The match lasted two hours and 25 minutes, with Alcaraz leading after a hard-fought battle.
During the match, Alcaraz was trailing two sets to one when Musetti appeared to struggle physically. After losing the fourth set 6-0 and falling behind 2-0 in the final set, Musetti sought treatment for his upper left leg. The injury appeared to worsen during a rally when he landed awkwardly, prompting the physio to come onto the court. Despite efforts to continue, Musetti’s injury prevented him from finishing the match.
Alcaraz expressed mixed feelings about the win, acknowledging the unfortunate circumstances. “It’s never great to get through or win a match like this,” he said afterward. He praised Musetti’s performance during the clay season, noting his consistency and skill. “Lorenzo is a great player; he has had an incredible clay season, reaching at least the semifinals in all the big events on clay. That shows what an incredible player he is,” Alcaraz added.
Musetti’s retirement marks a rare occurrence in Roland Garros history. He is the third man in the Open Era to retire from a semifinal at the tournament, following David Nalbandian in 2006 and Alexander Zverev in 2022. Both Nalbandian and Zverev also withdrew due to injuries, highlighting the physical toll of the French Open’s demanding clay courts.
