“Paradoxically, he plays better than Sinner and Alcaraz”: Renzo Furlan makes bold Musetti claim

Former Jasmine Paolini coach Renzo Furlan heaped praise on Lorenzo Musetti, whom he described as “paradoxically playing better than Sinner and Alcaraz,” while backing him to fight for the world No. 3 ranking this year — behind the current two dominant forces on tour, whom he expects to remain at the top “for another two or three years.”

The Italian coach also pointed to the two most talented Italian players at present, including Musetti and a player outside the Top 100 — even ahead of Sinner. Furlan also assured that without the suspension that kept him out for three months, Sinner would have finished the year at the top of the rankings.

Sinner was in contention to finish the year as world No. 1 until the final week of competition at the ATP Finals, although in the end the Spaniard finished by claiming the top spot after reaching the ATP Finals final — leaving tournament champion Sinner in second place.

“We’re talking about a player who is always driven to give something extra. It’s called mentality,” Furlan said in an interview with Il Nordest about the current Italian No. 1. “Sinner and Alcaraz are never satisfied, and when they lose, they raise their level, constantly chasing each other. After Wimbledon it was the Spaniard who had to chase, after the US Open it was Jannik.”

While Renzo Furlan waits for a new challenge on the ATP or WTA Tour, he is calmly taking his return to the coaching benches. Even so, the Italian continues to closely follow the current affairs of his compatriots, and referred to Sinner’s season, believing that he would have finished the year at the top of the rankings if not for the three-month suspension that kept him out of competition between February and May.

“During that period he missed four Masters 1000 events, including Indian Wells and Miami, tournaments Jannik loves to play. And it would have been enough for him to do better in Shanghai to finish ahead of Alcaraz. That says a lot about the season he still managed to have.”

Furlan believes Musetti has what it takes to challenge the dominance of Alcaraz and Sinner — at least in terms of talent and potential — but still considers it unlikely that the one-handed backhand player can capture a major trophy. “On clay, Lorenzo only lost to Alcaraz and Draper. His 2025 season was excellent, and in 2026 he can aim to become world No. 3 because, paradoxically, he plays better than Sinner and Alcaraz.”

“The qualities and the potential are there, but winning a Slam depends on many circumstances,” he said. “Do you think Djokovic doesn’t believe he can still win another Slam? Of course he does. But something strange has to happen: Alcaraz having a bad day in the early rounds, Sinner running into an issue like he did in Shanghai. If he finds both of them in the semifinals, then even he knows it’s almost impossible.”

According to Furlan, there are several players who show signs of being able to challenge the dominance of Sinner and Alcaraz in terms of ability, but it is the mental aspect that has given the current Top 2 an extra edge. The Italian coach mentioned some of the potential contenders for major titles.

“Rune, born in 2003, despite the serious injury he suffered (Achilles tendon, ed.), will return to a high level. Like Musetti, he’s a potential world No. 3. Then there’s Fonseca, the Brazilian, who will arrive sooner or later, though I don’t know how far he’ll go, and Mensik, who won the Miami Masters 1000. So to answer the question, the dominance of Sinner and Alcaraz won’t last only through 2026, but for another two or three years.”

Furlan also answered who he believes is the most talented player among the Italians, and without mentioning four-time Grand Slam champion Sinner, he chose Musetti along with a player outside the Top 100. “Luca Nardi is visually impressive as a player, but he struggles to take off,” Furlan stated. “Why? If we make a comparison with motorsport, Luca needs to push the accelerator if he wants to improve. I agree that his tennis is beautiful; in terms of talent, he’s the best in Italy along with Musetti, but talent alone is not enough.”