Musetti beats Berrettini to win all-Italian title showdown

Lorenzo Musetti upset the Italian tennis hierarchy on Sunday with a 7-6(5), 6-2 title defeat of countryman Matteo Berrettini at the ATP Naples tournament.

The 20-year-old won the second trophy of his career after claiming Hamburg in July and added the southern Italian honours to his semi-final last weekend in Florence.

Last year’s Wimbledon runner-up Berrettini lost ground in his late chase for one of the spots in next month’s eight-man ATP Finals, another Italian ATP date set for northern Turin.

Berrettini stands provisional 13 with two weeks remaining to play this season.

Musetti is due for a move to 23rd in the rankings on Monday after the sixth title secured by an Italian this season.  

The Tour match between two Italians in Italy occurred for the first time in 34 years since it last happened in Florence.

“It was a really tough first set,” Musetti said. “Very long and (no breaks). 

“Matteo was not 100 per cent physically. His capacity to stay until the end, to fight until the end, was a big problem for me to solve.

“I think I played not my best tennis – we were both really emotional, really nervous and there was a lot of tension.

“But in the important moments I played better. It’s a really big win for me and an important moment for my career.”