It is no longer one news. It no longer amazes us. It is now more and more at the center of international scene. After reading about two Italians in the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam, see one of the two get in semifinal it is good to hope. Matteo Berrettini, therefore, it beats the French My son (n17 del ranking) in five sets that lasted almost four hours. After two sets in which he seemed to dominate, he makes himself recover, guilty of fatigue and the lack, not to blame, of energy. When head and body don’t get along, it’s a predictable consequence.
While the French arrived at the match with a clear path (3-0 against Coria; 3-0 against Bublik; 3-0 against Garin; 3-0 against Kecmanovic), Matteo did not have it easy (3-1 with Nakashima; 3-1 against Kozlov; 3-2 against Alcaraz; 3-0 with Carreno Busta). The 35-year-old from Paris started the year very positively with success in Adelaide and reached the quarters without losing a single set, but Berrettini won both previous matches with the French opponent, in theATP Cup of 2021 (win in two sets) and in quarters of the 2019 Us Open (at the tie-break of the fifth set) always on open court.
Matthew starts on cousin set proving himself as always impeccable service, putting the French in difficulty with a fast and vigorous play. He keeps the serve, his strong point and in the fifth game he dominates the Parisian, who is forced to give up the serve to zero, thanks to a double fault and a couple of law errors. Monfils had only one chance to return, when Berrettini served for the set. But until that moment Matteo had given up two points in four rounds of service: the blue cancels the ball-break with an ace and closes the first set 6-4.
Second set which seems to continue in the tracks of the Roman tennis player, despite a very long and exhausting fourth game (lasted 26 points). Matteo wins the 2-2 after having canceled three break points with a winning forehand, serve and volleys of forehand. Monfils, therefore, gives up the bar again in the seventh game when, after having recovered from 0-30, he commits two errors of law. Berrettini confirms the advantage (5-3) e also takes home the second set for 6-4.
In terzo set things start to change. Matteo begins to recover and Monfils takes the chair, playing on the tiredness of the Roman, who keeps his serve well at 2-2, but accuses a lot of mental fatigue e makes a few mistakes too many. The Frenchman wins three games in a row, canceling his serve and closing the set at 6-3. Matthew seems to start physically suffer from prolonged exchanges and Gael begins to grow a lot.
The fourth set it is definitely the best of the match. Lots of great shots on both sides. It seems to start in a balanced way, but at 2-2 Matteo accuses some difficulties too many and suffers the precise long line, as well as the fast game of French that seems invigorated. The hardest moment of the match is at 3-2 Monfils, when down 40-0, he starts give in psychologically, as well as on the physical plane. After nearly three hours of play.
Go back to playing on the forehand, try to put it back struggling with shorter exchanges, to regain strength. It has always been his Achilles heel. It carries on 4-3 and does not give up. On the baseline game, excessively prolonged, Matteo is in trouble: to create difficulty in serving, this time, it’s French. Berrettini has clear ideas, but the body betrays him. At times it seems to be able to impose its game, at other times it goes under. Monfils goes in advantage, is set point, to go on the draw. Matteo with heart and style cancels four points for the set: first with an impregnable long line, then with serve and volley, then forcing him to two errors. On the fifth attempt, he gives in, strategically. It’s 2-2.
The fifth and last set it is home to Berrettini, whom he had defeated in the same way a few days ago Alcaraz. The Frenchman, on the other hand, has won one in the last five. This it’s time to play with the heart “the hammer”. Two errors on the Monfils line: it is already 1-0. With three points in service he doubles and once again raises the French service. The n7 of the ranking really seems to have recovered consistency and strength. Phenomenal hits, aces and intense games: closes with a forehand to cut the field simply perfect. 4-0 for Matteo and two reports taken from the Parisian.
Return to serve the blue. It is the decisive moment of the match: nothing passes under the net in defense. It has the shot of the game, as in the first two sets. “When you react in the moment of difficulty, you stand up to any opponent” so he said after the victory with Alcaraz. Monfils proudly carries himself underneath 5-2. Now Matteo all he has to do is close it. First one sharp blow after the serve, then a ace, specialty of the Roman, which goes out behind Monfils. On the 40-0 has three possibilities to close the match. After two mistakes, slips the French. Game, set and match.
“I don’t hear you” he yells at the French public who had contested him so much throughout the meeting. There semifinal versus Reef Nadal it’s his. He is the first blue ever to arrive in the quarters in all four majors and the third with more quarters in the slams (five) preceded only by Pietrangeli e Panatta. It’s his time for to write the history. And it will be found early. Instead, we’ll be cheering for tonight Jannik Sinner against the Greek Tsitsipas, to dream again.
