Musetti, who was vying for the most significant title of his burgeoning career, appeared to be hampered by a leg injury in the decisive third set. Despite visibly struggling with his movement around the court, the Italian bravely completed the match.
For the reigning US Open champion Alcaraz, this victory provides an ideal platform as he gears up for his French Open title defense next month.
"A lot of people have really high expectations of me on having a really good clay season," the four-time grand slam winner told reporters following his win. "Probably, they want me to win almost every tournament, so it’s kind of a bit difficult to deal with it, I guess."
He added, reflecting on recent lessons, "But one thing I learned over the last month is I have to think about myself … think about my people, my team, my family, my close friends, and no matter what happens on court, if I win, if I lose, I have to leave the court happy and proud with what I’ve done."
Alcaraz has every reason to be proud of his performance in Monte-Carlo over the past week and a half. His journey to the title was characterized by remarkable fighting spirit, as he had to recover from a set deficit on three separate occasions.
In the opening set of the final, Alcaraz found himself trailing 3-1 after an uncharacteristic forehand error. Musetti capitalized on this, showcasing his shot-making ability by hitting seven winners to seize the early advantage in the match.
However, Alcaraz swiftly recalibrated, demonstrating his adaptability on the clay. He broke Musetti's serve twice in the second set, dictating the tempo and wrapping up the set in under an hour and 20 minutes, leveling the score.
The deciding set proved to be considerably more one-sided. Musetti was visibly struggling with an apparent leg injury, even after receiving treatment when trailing 0-3. This impairment allowed Alcaraz to navigate the final stages of the match with relative ease. The Spaniard sealed his victory with a decisive forehand into an open court, with Musetti unable to move freely to contest the shot.
Looking ahead, the 21-year-old Alcaraz expressed his hopes for a long career in Monte-Carlo. "Hopefully, if everything goes well, I will be playing this tournament for the next 10, 15 years, so let’s see if I can get at least one more," he said. "All I’m thinking about right now is just to enjoy this moment and let’s see in the future."
This triumph marks a significant bounce-back for Alcaraz, who suffered a surprising second-round exit against David Goffin at the Miami Open in his previous tournament. The victory propels him above Alexander Zverev to the coveted world No. 2 ranking.
Despite his final loss, Lorenzo Musetti also has reason to celebrate. His impressive run to the final, which included victories over top-10 seeds Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alex de Minaur, sees him rise to a career-high ranking of world No. 11.