ATP Hong Kong: Lorenzo Musetti knocked out in the round of 16.

ATP Hong Kong: Lorenzo Musetti-Pavel Kotov 4-6 3-6

Lorenzo Musetti's adventure at the Hong Kong ATP 250 ends in the round of 16. The tennis player from Carrara, in fact, had to surrender to Russian Pavel Kotov, number 67 in the world ranking, who won with a score of 6-4 6-3 after one hour and forty-two minutes of play.

In the first set the balance is broken in the fifth game in favor of the Russian, who, at the first useful chance, gets the break lead and keeps it until the end of the partial, winning it 6-4. In the second set the Italian immediately has two break points but Kotov saves with his serve and forehand and in the fifth game he again places the decisive break. Musetti had two more chances to get back into the match but did not take advantage of them and gave up the serve again in the ninth game, handing the victory to the Russian.

Lorenzo Musetti must thus leave the Hong Kong tournament while Kotov will face in the quarterfinals with Finland’s Emil Ruusuvuori, Karen Khachanov’s executioner in three sets (7-6 2-6 6-2). Carrara will return to the court in Adelaide, starting Monday, Jan. 8, the last leg before the Australian Open.