"I'm not scared of anybody" - Novak Djokovic brushes off 2023 loss to Lorenzo Musetti, exudes confidence ahead of Monte-Carlo Masters 3R rematch
Novak Djokovic has outlined his confident outlook as he gears up to face Lorenzo Musetti in the third round of the 2024 Monte-Carlo Masters.
Djokovic hit the ground running at the Masters 1000 event in Monte-Carlo, claiming a dominant 6-1, 6-2 win over Roman Safiullin in an hour and 10 minutes to kick off his claycourt season.
Up next, the Serb takes on Musetti in a blockbuster third-round clash, setting the stage for a rematch of their third-round encounter last year, where Musetti pulled off a shock upset over the World No. 1.
Ahead of the highly anticipated matchup, Djokovic was asked whether he was "scared" of the prospect of facing Musetti, especially after his recent struggles against Italians, as evidenced by his Australian Open loss to Jannik Sinner and Indian Wells upset against Luca Nardi.
However, the 24-time Grand Slam champion dismissed any such concerns, emphasizing that he isn't scared to face any opponent. Having secured his victory before Musetti's, he conveyed his desire for the 22-year-old to advance to the third round so that they could have the chance to meet once more.
"I'm not scared of anything and anybody, but I really hope that I can get the chance to play him again and get another matchup here," the Serb said in his post-match press conference.
The Serb also lavished praise on the talented Italian, hailing his one-handed backhand and impressive athleticism.
"He obviously is, you know, one of the most talented players on clay, a beautiful one-handed backhand. He's very athletic. He can do a lot of great things, and he's one of the most promising young players, not only from Italy, but generally for the world," he added.
Novak Djokovic on Monte-Carlos Masters 3R clash against Lorenzo Musetti: "I feel much different, more ready; I'm hoping I can deliver my best game"
Reflecting on his performance, Novak Djokovic asserted that he felt significantly better in his opening match at this year's Monte-Carlo Masters compared to 2023 and expressed optimism about showcasing his best level against his third-round opponent.
"I like the way I played my first match comparing to the first match last year. So, I feel much different, more ready, so whoever is across the net, I'm hoping I can deliver my best game," he said during the same press conference.
Lorenzo Musetti beat Arthur Fils 6-3, 7-5 to book his place against the World No. 1. Despite Djokovic's shock loss to the Italian at last year's tournament, he still enjoys a 3-1 lead in their head-to-head record and will fancy his chances of beating the 22-year-old.
If the 24-time Grand Slam champion emerges victorious against Musetti, he will face Alex de Minaur or Alexei Popyrin in the quarterfinals.