'I've never changed so many shirts in my life' - Lorenzo Musetti chimes in on the humid conditions at the Shanghai Masters

The 2025 Shanghai Masters has received criticism from players for the brutal court conditions, with Italian Lorenzo Musetti joining a list of players to voice their opinion on the matter.

The eighth seed kicked off his Shanghai campaign with a 6-4 6-0 win over Argentine Francisco Comesana. Musetti could face fellow Italian Luciano Darderi in the third round, overcoming his compatriot behind a 7-5 7-6(1) victory.

Both men were forced to compete under harsh court conditions, with temperatures soaring as each tried to outdo the other. After an intense two hours and eight minutes, Musetti would prevail and later reflect on how the conditions affected his play.

"The evening conditions are very slow; it's not easy to hit winners: I felt like I had to raise my level during the match, and that's what I'm most proud of tonight," said Musetti in his on-court interview. "This year, I'm managing to play better on this surface, but it's never been this humid, and the balls are getting heavier and heavier too. I've never changed so many shirts in my life! It feels like after 40 minutes of play, you've just taken a shower."

Musetti disagrees with some of his peers on the playing conditions

After two rounds of play at the Shanghai Masters, a few ATP stars have spoken out against the playing conditions. The likes of former World No.1 Novak Djokovic and American tennis star Taylor Fritz criticized the harsh conditions, stating it makes the courts slower.

However, Musetti appears to be of the opposing mindset. The former World No.6 revealed he likes the slower playing courts, as it requires a great amount of mental and physical strength to win a match in those circumstances.

"But I can't complain about these slow conditions," added Musetti. "I definitely like them, and I believe you have to be a true fighter and be very physically prepared to win these matches."

The Italian next takes on Canadian Felix Auger Aliassime, who defeated Dutch player Jesper De Jong in the third round.