Van Assche Beats Musetti to Reach Paris QF

Luca Van Assche saved the French afternoon at Bercy. After Quentin Halys and Arthur Rinderknech had already gone down on Court Central, the world No. 47 beat Lorenzo Musetti 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 in 2 hours and 38 minutes on Thursday to reach the first Masters 1000 quarterfinal of his career.

It was also revenge. Two weeks ago Musetti beat him 7-6, 6-7, 6-4 in a 3-hour-32 marathon in the Lyon quarterfinals that finished after 1 a.m., then went on to win that title. This time the home Frenchman had the last word, converting his first match point with a drop volley.

Two Break Points Saved, Then the Break

Musetti held for 4-3 in the third with a forehand winner and an ace from 30-30. Van Assche then faced 15-40 on his own serve and saved both break points with unreturned serves. In the next game, at 15-40 on Musetti's serve, the Italian pushed a forehand into the net. Van Assche served for the match, led 40-0, and closed it on the first chance.

"He started to help himself with the serve, which this surface helps a lot, and he was serving like 218, really strong serves that a little bit surprised me," Musetti said. "In the important moments, he played with braveness, with courage, and it paid off."

Childhood Dream on Court Central

"It was a childhood dream to play on a Court Central like this," Van Assche told the crowd. "I went to Bercy several times to watch these players. Now it's here, but I dreamt of it, and today to win in front of you is incredible."

He had already beaten Mariano Navone 6-3, 7-5 and 15th seed Learner Tien 7-6 (4), 6-4, saving nine break points against Tien. Musetti arrived via Hubert Hurkacz and then a 7-6 (5), 6-2 win over world No. 1 Alexander Zverev. That Zverev result left a strange opening in this section of the draw.

Next: Hijikata, Not Djokovic

Van Assche's quarterfinal opponent is qualifier Rinky Hijikata, who knocked out Novak Djokovic on Wednesday and Tomas Martin Etcheverry on Thursday. On paper this quarter could have been Zverev against Djokovic. Instead it is a first-time Masters quarterfinalist against a qualifier who just rewrote his season.

"If he's in the quarterfinals, it's because he deserves his place," Van Assche said of Hijikata. "He beat Djokovic, he has beaten five players in the tournament. It's going to be another incredible battle." Fils' later exit left Van Assche as the last Frenchman in the singles draw.

Smacktok pick lean: Lean higher on Van Assche holding serve early in the Hijikata quarterfinal. He just saved two break points at 4-4 in a decider and has now won three straight matches in Paris without dropping serve in the clutch.

A first Masters quarterfinal in front of a home crowd after a Lyon rematch is the kind of Thursday French tennis needed.