In a significant setback for Italy’s bid to secure a third consecutive Davis Cup title, world-ranked No. 9 Lorenzo Musetti has withdrawn from the national squad just days before the finals kick off in Bologna.

The 23-year-old cited physical exhaustion from a grueling end-of-season schedule and impending family commitments as the primary reasons for his decision, announced immediately following his straight-sets defeat to Carlos Alcaraz at the ATP Finals on Thursday.

Musetti’s exit comes on the heels of world No. 2 Jannik Sinner’s earlier announcement that he would skip the tournament to prioritize recovery ahead of his Australian Open title defense in January 2026. Sinner’s absence had already drawn sharp criticism from fans and pundits, who accused the top-ranked Italian of prioritizing

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