Alcaraz has already overwhelmed semi-final opponent Musetti twice on the clay this yr – in a semi-final in Rome and the ultimate in Monte Carlo.
Nonetheless, these are two of solely three defeats Musetti has suffered throughout a wonderful clay-court season, along with his file this yr on the floor now at 19 wins.
With a self-confessed “retro fashion”, he is without doubt one of the few gamers on tour with a one-handed backhand, which he says has come naturally since choosing up a racquet as a toddler.
Within the build-up to his quarter-final, he mentioned he was “in the very best interval of his life” and that pleasure has been compounded by information that his accomplice Veronica is pregnant with their second baby.
Tuscany-born Musetti mentioned changing into a father to their son, Ludovico, in March final yr modified his angle on court docket and he has since been in a position to “play and do higher”.
After his victory over Tiafoe, he mentioned: “It is a strategy of rising, not simply contained in the court docket however particularly off the court docket.
“Final yr I turned a father. I feel that gave me an additional duty and I now method issues in a extra skilled approach, not simply on the court docket in matches however in my day by day routine.
“It is essential for me to be so as, after I observe and in my free time I get pleasure from my time with my household. Even when they aren’t right here they’re at all times with me in my coronary heart, so this win is for them.”
Within the second set of his last-eight match, the Italian hit a line decide with a ball he had kicked away.
He obtained a warning for the incident, with guidelines stating gamers solely obtain a default if the motion causes “clear hurt”.
