Australian Open, Berrettini beats Alcaraz: he is in the second round

Mamma mia Berrettini, what suffering! This year we reach the second round of the 2022/01/which-one-in-the-novak-djokovic-case/” title=”Which one in the 'Novak Djokovic Case'”>Australian Open after a battle against Carlos Alcaraz that cuts the legs and breath of those who are on the field and those who look at it while sipping coffee in the Italian morning. A match that the Roman won, lost, revived until the fifth tie break: 6-2 7-6 4-6 2-6 7-6. Four hours of merciless struggle: “I only thought about fighting at every point. I’m very happy. Carlos is incredible, at his age I didn’t even have any ATP points”, Matteo commented, exhausted. In the round of 16, Berrettini will face the Spaniard Pablo Carreno who overcame the Next Gen 2021 finalist Sebastian Korda in four sets.

He matches

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The Spaniard was also given as a favorite by bookmakers, who had not bet too much on the national Matteone. Maybe because in the first two rounds he had to face an intestinal virus that had weakened him a lot. The match had started very well for Berrettini, able to immediately impose his law with a first set dominated 6-2 and with the second, more struggled, won at the tie break. Then the fury of Murcia, with an even leaner and more sculpted body than a couple of months ago, took the measurements of Matteo: “I have already beaten him – he said on the eve – I know how to do it. I learned a lot from that match “. And in fact in the third set, when the game still seems to be in his hand, Berrettini misses the decisive thrust allowing the little devil raised by Juan Carlos Ferrero to put his foot in the door before it closes. Carlitos wins the set 6-4, completely reopening the game. A hard blow to digest for the Italian number 1 who in the fourth, instead of reacting, perhaps clouded by fatigue, gives in suddenly, delivering 6-2 to Alcaraz.

The epilogue

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The fifth is the most dramatic set, not only because it is from inside or outside, but because Berrettini, who always has a preferential lane when there is a joke involved, slightly twists his ankle making a nice tumble. Silence, tension, anxiety, trainer. One placed on the foot after a quick discussion with the physiotherapist, and off you go, back on the pitch with a bit of trembling. First four games of the fifth very tight, always with the advantages, with Berrettini unable to break through with the serve, which often comes back like a shot, and is provoked on the backhand with monstrous accelerations. In the end, Matteo’s game is all headstrong, who does not want to let go despite the fact that his body is increasingly demanding the bill and the movements are slower. In the 10th game Alcaraz keeps the service at 0, Berretto reacts very well and, always at 0, responds. It’s not over until it’s over. On 6-5 30-30 Carlitos smanaccia a straight out and sends Berrettini to match point. The Spaniard serves the second, Matteo’s answer on the net puts him back on track. We go to the super tie break.

The super tie break

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Alcaraz starts with a mini break advantage, which makes Matteo run here and there, exhausting him. immediate reaction of our number 1: we are back in a draw at 2-2. The public is divided between the desire to see an 18-year-old in the second week, and the affection for Berrettini, boyfriend of the Australian Tomljanovic. Vincenzo Santopadre, in the box, is a sphinx when it comes to 4-4. Minibreak! 6-4 Cap. Santopadre resumes his vital functions and stands up. Another minibreak by Berrettini who in the end closes 10-5 at 5th. All head, Matteo.