Lorenzo Musetti, currently sitting on the bubble in the race to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals, kicks off his Vienna bid against Stefanos Tsitsipas. Andrey Rublev and Cam Norrie will also be in first-round action.
(4) Lorenzo Musetti vs. Stefanos Tsitsipas
The matchup between Lorenzo Musetti and Stefanos Tsitsipas can be defined by as encounters that took place pre-2025 and those that occurred this year. Between 2021 and 2023, the two men played five times and Tsitsipas won every match. Granted, most of the wins didn’t come easily for the Greek man–but he nonetheless racked up a 5-0 record over the Italian. The tables have turned in 2025, as Musetti nipped Tsitispas in both of their encounters this year.
Musetti is ranked eighth in the world, currently in position to qualify for the year-end event in Turin–but just barely. He posted strong performances at both the French Open and U.S. Open, but he is strangely without a title this season. Musetti has had a good autumn, but Tuesday’s result at the Erste Bank Open is more likely to be influenced by Tsitsipas’ poor form than anything else. Despite the fact that the world No. 25 played all four majors, he won exactly two Grand Slam matches–not two at each major; two total. Against a player of Musetti’s caliber, it’s hard to imagine an upset.
Cheryl pick: Musetti in 3
Ricky pick: Musetti in 2
(7) Andrey Rublev vs. Cameron Norrie
This is a tricky match for Andrey Rublev to start off his tournament. The Russian had a rough patch after the Australian Open, but he righted the ship and has managed to amass a 32-23 record for the year–although he seemed a bit fatigued during the Asian swing earlier this month. Rublev holds a slight 3-2 record over first-round opponent Cameron Norrie.
Norrie has made a few surprisingly good runs this season. He came somewhat out of nowhere to reach the quarterfinals of Wimbledon, his home slam. His level fell off a bit after the U.S. Open, but that may be chalked up to end-of-season fatigue and the fact that at age 30 he is not exactly young anymore. Rublev and Norrie haven’t played since 2023, so it’s difficult to draw any conclusions from their prior meetings. Look for an entertaining match that may well go the distance, but likely no upset looming in this one.
Cheryl pick: Rublev in 3
Ricky pick: Rublev in 3
WWW?
Musetti in 2; Rublev in 2