"I hope to reach that third spot on the podium": Lorenzo Musetti sets Sinner and Alcaraz as benchmarks

Lorenzo Musetti was recently awarded the prestigious title of Italian Sportsman of the Year by La Gazzetta dello Sport, surprisingly edging out World No. 2 Jannik Sinner. While Sinner enjoyed a dominant season with six titles—including two Grand Slams—in 2025, the Italian newspaper opted for the 23-year-old Musetti, the current World No. 8, despite him finishing the season without a title.

Musetti’s selection over his compatriot and four-time Major champion was likely influenced by the controversy surrounding Sinner earlier in the year. Sinner faced a three-month suspension between February and May following a positive doping test in March 2024. The situation concluded with Sinner agreeing to a short-term suspension with the ITIA to avoid an appeal process that could have exposed him to a much longer ban, though he has maintained his innocence throughout.

Despite the circumstances of the award, Musetti was quick to praise Sinner during the ceremony. He stated that his main objective for 2026 is to close the gap on the dominance Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz have established over the last few seasons.

"This year we saw the difference between them and the others; they are a step above the rest," Musetti said. "Bringing important figures into my team is an attempt to take a step in that direction, to close the gap that was still evident this year. I hope to reach that third spot on the podium in the future."

Musetti was pleased with the recognition following the best season of his career. He broke into the Top 10 for the first time, reaching three finals, highlighted by his first Masters 1000 final at the Monte-Carlo Masters. He also made semifinal appearances at the Rome and Madrid Masters, as well as at Roland Garros.

The one-handed backhand specialist also qualified for the ATP Finals for the first time. In Turin, he secured a Round Robin victory against Alex de Minaur but suffered defeats to Alcaraz and Taylor Fritz. Although eliminated in the group stage, the points earned allowed him to finish the year at No. 8.

"I have several images of this year in my head, like the Monte-Carlo final, the Roland Garros semifinal, and breaking into the Top 10," Musetti reflected. "The best moment, however, was the welcome from the crowd in Turin and the victory against De Minaur. It was beautiful and difficult to describe in words."

Recently, Musetti added Spanish coach Jose Perlas to his team. Perlas, a former Spanish Davis Cup captain who worked with Dusan Lajovic until 2025, will join Simone Tartarini, Musetti's longtime coach. "He is an important figure who I believe can bring something extra alongside my longtime coach," the World No. 8 commented. "I think our joint work can lead to progress and the definitive leap in quality I am looking for. We started winter training two weeks ago; we are working hard and have a great connection. The first stop will be Australia, and I have many good intentions for the season."

Musetti is also focused on evolving his playstyle. "I am working hard to be more aggressive; I think it is essential in the modern game," he added. "I believe my qualities can go in that direction: not just being a counter-attacker, but also more proactive from the first shots. We are going in that direction."

The world No. 8 will face his first challenge of the new year at the ATP 250 Hong Kong Open. The tournament features an interesting field, including Alexander Bublik, Andrey Rublev, Karen Khachanov, Lorenzo Sonego, and Arthur Fils.

For now, this is the only confirmed tournament for Musetti at the start of the year before he travels to Melbourne. He will prepare for the Australian Open, where he will be defending points from a third-round run in 2025.