Berrettini beats Zverev at Wimbledon

Two guys who had to rebuild themselves. Matteo continually stopped by abdominal problems, Sascha by a horrible right ankle injury at Roland Garros last year, at the best moment of his career. Two players who missed the 2022 edition of the Championships: ours due to Covid, the other due to his ankle with 7 broken ligaments. The one between Matteo Berrettini and Sascha Zverev was a match with many meanings. Fall and ascent, joy of being there again, on the courts that had seen him write a page in the history of Italian tennis, on 11 July two years ago, in the Wimbledon final. The two threw stones at each other throughout the game, sparks flew between the hammers but Berrettini’s heart prevailed 6-3 7-6 7-6. In the round of 16, against Carlos Alcaraz who was by no means flawless against Jarry. “Last year I was here and I was unable to play due to Covid – Matteo said on the pitch, still in a competitive trance -. This is a tournament that has changed my career and it is special to be here. Perhaps there is a special air. Five straight days on the court? I spent so many days in my bed crying, five days of tennis is nothing. I missed competing, playing, I found so much energy in the crowd”. And on the challenge with Acaraz in the central position: “I don’t think I have to say anything about Carlos, I met him two years ago and he has grown a lot. But I want to think about it day after day, point after point. I just want to enjoy every moment here “.

THE MATCH

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The first set sees a somewhat slow start from Berrettini, perhaps a little nervous. After all, field 1 hadn’t hit him for a while, and there’s an opponent there that if he had been seeded, he would certainly have faced further on. After a bit of tug of war the Roman manages to keep the serve, gains confidence and goes up. He is lucid in return, very precise in his serve and takes advantage of the only yield Sascha allows him in the 9th game: he snatches his serve and goes to serve for the set, moving ahead 1-1. The second part is much more balanced with the two hitting each other with hammers until the ninth game, when Berretto puts pressure on the German and goes 4-4 30-30. A sudden downpour of rain forces the field to be covered quickly and the players enter the dressing rooms, while the roof is partially closed. Upon returning, we decide for a long time what to do, both are afraid of slipping, both live with the bogeyman of an injury. in the end it is decided to continue: the German saves himself from the break and the set is played at the tie break. Providential a minibreak by the blue hammer who manages to administer the advantage with great lucidity and closes 7-6 for 2-0. In the third set Zverev goes up, but Matteo clings to the match with the grit of the past. The balance breaks in the 8th game with Berrettini who has 3 heavy 5-3 balls as match points. Sascha is good at reacting, Matteo wastes and we go to the advantages. A splendid backhand pass leads to a fourth break point, but a second backhand attempt down the line ends up in the net. Equality, heart pounding, and Zverev advantage who then holds for 4-4. Sascha continues to be dangerous, in the 9th game he takes the lead, but Berretto remains lucid, present to himself and holds for the 5-4. Another tie break, but this time Zverev takes the lead with Matteo calling the challenge on a ball that is inside. Destiny sends a forehand from Zverev into the net, counter-minibreak, everything to be redone. Another mess for Sascha, Matteo goes up 2-1 and this time there’s nothing to waste. You just have to stay there, with your head and heart. The double fault arrives for Berretto, the first of the set, advantage zeroed. The voltage can be measured in kilowatt hours, another minibreak for Berrettini and 5-3. Two points from the match. Her box holds its breath, Melissa almost doesn’t have the courage to look. The first match point vanishes, but it’s on the German serve. The second sticks into the ground, into the heart. Round of 16. More tears, but of joy.