Us Open, Berrettini suffers and beats Grenier 3-1. Now Murray

Matteo Berrettini did not want to be outdone by his compatriots winners in the comeback yesterday and decided to complicate his life against the French Hugo Grenier, attended in his youth between ITF tournaments and found again in the 2nd round of the Us Open. Berrettini, after a first set completely out of focus, where he lost his serve twice, lost in half an hour for 6-2, he found serenity and the hammer recovering and closing in four sets 2-6 6-1 7-6 (4) 7-6 (9) for a place in the third round where he will meet the great old man, Andy Murray who overtook the American Nava in four sets.

For the Roman, currently number 2 blue, this is just the second Slam played in the season. After the quarter-finals in Australia at the beginning of the year, the operation on his right hand made him jump all season on red including Roland garros and the beloved Roma, returned and able to win on the grass of Stuttgart and Queen’s, has had to give up Wimbledon because of Covid. Now, in the closing Grand Slam of the season, Berrettini has a great chance. The exit of Stefanos Tsitsipas and Taylor Fritz in the first round opened a highway to the quarterfinals against Casper Ruud and the possible semifinal against Daniil Medvedev. Matteo knows how to play a semifinal against Arthur Ashe, he did it three years ago, in the 2019 of wonders where he closed the top 10 remaining there until Wimbledon this year. The goal is to return to the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin, and for this reason it is crucial to climb as high as possible on the skyscrapers of New York.

The match

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First set with the hammer jammed for Berrettini who suffers a break in the third and seventh game. Berrettini is nervous, he also invites his box to calm down, he cannot find the ball, the rhythm, the weight and in the end he yields 6-2 in just 34 minutes. But the Cap who enters the field in the second set has another look, the service starts to turn the account of the ace goes up and that of the free cards decreases, this time it is Grenier who gives the bar twice and loses the partial 6-2. The third set is the most balanced, with the Roman having a break point in the third game but not taking advantage of it, he earns the tie break and wins the set. Fourth set with a few wasted opportunities by the Roman who at 4-3 has the opportunity twice to take a break but does not materialize. At 5-5 the service leaves him and the Frenchman moves dangerously forward 30-15 and then at the break point. A winning ribbon saves Berrettini who wins the advantages, but this time an unfortunate volley does not pass the ribbon and is still a break point. Deleted by an ace. He holds the line for a very precious 6-5. Tie break also in the fourth set, where Berretto cancels a set point at 6-5, gets a match point canceled, then closes with a beautiful straight passer.