Lorenzo Musetti has pulled out of the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC in Acapulco as he continues to recover from a psoas muscle injury sustained at the Australian Open. The world No. 5 led Novak Djokovic by two sets in their quarter-final before retiring last month. Musetti expressed disappointment but emphasized the need for more recovery time.
Lorenzo Musetti, ranked No. 5 in the PIF ATP Rankings, has withdrawn from the upcoming ATP 500 event in Acapulco, Mexico, due to an ongoing psoas muscle injury. The 23-year-old Italian suffered the injury during his Australian Open quarter-final against Novak Djokovic in Melbourne last month, where he led two sets to love before retiring early in the third set. Djokovic later admitted he should have been "on the way home" after Musetti's exit, but the Serb advanced to his first Grand Slam final in nearly two years.
Musetti has not competed since the Australian Open, having already withdrawn from tournaments in Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro. In a statement on social media, he said, "Hi all, just wanted to share an update on my recovery. I’ve just had my medical evaluation and unfortunately need to continue my rehabilitation before I can get back on court and compete. Sadly, this means I won’t be able to play in Acapulco. Thanks to everyone for the continued support – can’t wait to be back!" An earlier Instagram video in Spanish echoed similar sentiments: "Hello everyone. I have to communicate that unfortunately I cannot compete in Acapulco. My body has to recover more and the recuperation is going to take longer. I was really looking forward to returning to Mexico and playing there."
The injury first became apparent during the second set against Djokovic, with Musetti taking a medical timeout at 1-2 in the third set before retiring at 6-4, 6-3, 1-3. He described feeling discomfort in his right leg, noting, "I felt it at the beginning of the second set... the pain was increasing." This is not Musetti's first injury setback; he retired in the semi-final against Carlos Alcaraz at last year's French Open due to a leg and groin issue.
Musetti entered 2026 strongly, with a 7-2 record, including a runner-up finish in Hong Kong and a career-high ranking of No. 5. He remains entered in the Indian Wells Masters 1000 event starting March 4, though his participation is uncertain. The withdrawal marks another delay in his return to the tour.