Jannik Sinner wins Italy’s derby at Wimbledon, Matteo Berrettini surrenders
At Wimbledon the derby d'Italia wins it Jannik Sinner, Matteo Berrettini surrenders
In a real tennis derby d’Italia, played on the Central Court and valid as a second-round match at Wimbledon, Jannik Sinner, world number 1, beat his great friend and Davis Cup partner Matteo Berrettini, number 59, with a score of 7-6 7-6 2-6 7-6.
The’s only break point of the entire first set è also a set point and è in Sinner’s favor, at 5-4 for the South Tyrolean, but Berrettini nullified it with a great exchange concluded with an equally beautiful forehand volley.
It goes to the tie-break in which Sinner from the 1-2 leads 5-2 with double minibreak, on 6-3 has another set point and materializes it with a backhand pass on which Berrettini can only parry the forehand volley and sink it into the net.
At 1-1 in the second set the Roman recovers from 15-40, the first break ball he cancels with his serve and the second with a forehand volley. Jannik also has to cancel a break ball at 3-2 for Matteo and on the second opportunity he has to break serve but soon after he makes the counterbreak after Berrettini missed a 5-2 ball.
On 4-4 Berrettini saves two more break points, on 5-5 he recovers from 0-30 and so it goes again to the tie-break. Sinner flies 4-1 with double minibreaks, loses one but at 6-4 has two set points and immediately concretizes the first one with a very deep forehand that Berrettini can’t keep in the court.
Sinner immediately loses the serve in the opening of the third set, Berrettini saves a counterbreak ball in the next game and then from 2-1 goes even to 5-1. A domino in this partial for the 28-year-old Roman who closes on the first set point by holding serve at 30.
On’1-1 in the fourth set break and counterbreak, the first in favor of Matteo, the second in favor of Jannik, both times on the second set point. No’other break ball until 6-5 for Sinner, the South Tyrolean has a match point thanks to a double fault by the Roman who però cancels it with his first serve.
Third tie-break of the match then and Jannik takes a mini-break lead going 4-2, he gets three more match points going 6-3, the first one Berrettini cancels with an ace but on the second one the world number 1 plays a world number 1 forehand response on which Berrettini crashes with his forehand.
A beautiful match that lasted 3 hours and 42 minutes. Sinner in the third round will meet Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic. Kudos to Berrettini, who lost by winning more of his opponent’s serve than he lost, but Jannik played all three tie-breaks in a flawless manner, making it clear why he is the strongest tennis player in the world especially mentally.
