The number 1 seeded Roman should have played with Ivashka who, however, forfeited at the last minute. In place of the Belarusian, as a lucky loser, here is the promising 21-year-old Azzurri who, however, had to surrender to Matteo 6-4 6-4
Matteo Berrettini wins the last minute derby against Mattia Bellucci in Challenger 175 in Phoenix, Arizona. In fact, the Roman’s opponent had to be Ilya Ivashka but the Belarusian’s forfeit gave the left-handed player from Busto Arsizio the possibility of being recovered as a lucky loser and thus challenging his compatriot. As mentioned, it was Berrettini who prevailed in two sets, with a score of 6-4 6-4 in one hour and 35 minutes, in what was the first direct confrontation between the 2021 Wimbledon finalist and the promising 21-year-old sky blue.
Wildcards
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Berrettini, who earned a wild card after a second-round elimination in Indian Wells against Taro Daniel, is seeded number 1 in Phoenix where in 2019 he won the last of his three Challenger titles, after San Benedetto 2017 and Bergamo 2019, and now for the Roman there is the obstacle of the Australian Vukic, who beat another Italian, Matteo Arnaldi, in three sets (6-2 4-6 6-3). The twenty-six year old from Rome played against an excellent Bellucci, taking the match home without too many worries, but it is clear that the physical condition, and perhaps also the mental one, of the former blue top ten is still far from his best.
trust
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Berrettini probably needs this, to play and win this type of match, to gain confidence and put games in his legs after a bad period mainly due to physical problems to return, slowly but not too much, to his level. And a prestigious Challenger like the one in Phoenix seems tailor-made for the purpose. Looking forward to better days.
March 17 – 01:15
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