Italian teenager Musetti beats Cuevas in Sardegna Open

Italian teenager Lorenzo Musetti beat eighth-seeded Pablo Cuevas 7-6 (4), 7-5 in the first round of the Forte Village Sardegna Open on Monday.

Against Cuevas, Musetti maintained his focus through two rain delays and quickly recovered a break of serve late in the second set.

"I’m playing really good tennis - my best tennis,” Musetti said. “I have the weapons to (have) a great tournament and to compete at this level.”

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The 143rd-ranked Musetti next faces qualifier Andrea Pellegrino, who won when Stefano Travaglia retired from their first-round match. Pellegrino was ahead 4-6, 7-6 (7), 3-0.

Also, seventh-seeded Tommy Paul beat Slovakian qualifier Andrej Martin 5-7, 6-3, 7-5; and Jiri Vesely eliminated Kamil Majchrzak 6-1, 7-5.

The tournament was installed in the ATP calendar as a one-time only event amid the coronavirus pandemic.