"Not crying as Rafael Nadal"; "Underrated; only Jannik Sinner gets the hype"- Fans laud Lorenzo Musetti's Paris Olympics 1R win hours after Umag loss

Lorenzo Musetti is off to a winning start at the 2024 Paris Olympics. His effort has caught tennis fans’ attention, with many comparing him to other athletes, including Rafael Nadal and Jannik Sinner.

Musetti kicked off his Olympics campaign with a spectacular 6-1, 6-4 win against home favorite Gael Monfils on Sunday, July 28. It is worth noting that the Italian was in Umag, Croatia, less than 24 hours before his match in Paris, competing in the ATP 250 final.

Lorenzo Musetti lost the match by the narrowest margins, as Argentine Francisco Cerundolo came through in the final set tiebreak 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (5). Tennis fans were thus impressed to see the 22-year-old regroup so quickly at the Olympics despite the heartbreak.

They were also appreciative of Musetti and Cerundolo’s tireless effort to make the transcontinental journey and reach in time for their respective opening-round matches. The Argentine, too, progressed to the second round at the Paris Olympics, beating Chile’s Marcelo Tomas Barrios Vera 6-2, 6-1.

"He (Lorenzo Musetti) won today in Paris and so did Francisco who won the final in Umag. Shout out to both...," one fan said.

"It's pretty crazy that Cerundolo and Musetti played against ea in the Umag final yesterday evening, TB in the 3rd set, and today they both won their R1 matches in Paris..." another fan remarked.

"Musetti played finals in Umag yesterday and lost 7-6 in the third set. He is playing today again in Paris. Tennis is tough," former Swedish tennis player Magnus Norman wrote.

A few fans also took a dig at the duo’s colleagues in light of the 2024 Paris Olympics draw fiasco. The event saw withdrawals from several top tennis players, including Musetti’s compatriot, World No. 1 Jannik Sinner, who cited tonsillitis as the reason. Sinner was also expected to compete with Musetti in men’s doubles; however, Luciano Darderi has since replaced him.

"Yet unfortunately Lore is underrated completely by the media & only @janniksin gets the hype... @Lorenzo1Musetti deserves all the love & respect for his utmost dedication towards his passion for tennis & relentless strength he displays on court with all his heart & soul," one fan opined.

"Respect the hustle. Not like sinner," another fan said.

A few other fans also pointed out Rafael Nadal’s complaints about the schedule. Nadal kicked off his campaign with a men’s doubles win, partnering Carlos Alcaraz on Saturday, July 27. He was, however, unhappy to learn he was scheduled to compete in singles less than 24 hours later, on Sunday.

"Not crying as @RafaelNadal," one fan said.

"And no complaints there, unlike some other divas," another fan chimed in.

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Lorenzo Musetti to take on Mariano Navone; Rafael Nadal to face Novak Djokovic at Paris Olympics 2024

Lorenzo Musetti pictured at the 2024 Paris Olympics Tennis - Source: Getty

Despite his reservations about the seemingly hectic schedule, Rafael Nadal secured a hard-earned victory (6-1, 4-6, 6-4) against Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics to book his spot in the second round.

The two-time Olympic gold medalist faces his arch-rival Novak Djokovic on Monday in what would be a clash for the ages.

Lorenzo Musetti faces Argentina’s Mariano Navone for a spot in the third round. Meanwhile, Francisco Cerundolo is set for a battle against not just his opponent but also the crowd, as he takes on France’s highest-ranked men’s player, Ugo Humbert, on Tuesday.