When Matteo Berrettini plays in Tokyo: background with Casper Ruud
After more than four months of fasting from victories, Matteo Berrettini returned to a smile in Tokyo. The Italian overcame the Spaniard Jaume Munar with authority, settled in two sets (6-4 6-2) in the first round of the Japanese ATP 500. A success worth double, because it marks the return to the track of a player long halted by physical problems and who showed he still has strokes and motivation intact.
The draw, however, was not a tender one. In the second round, in fact, Berrettini will find Casper Ruud, the tournament’s No. 4 seed and current world No. 12, on his way. The match will be staged Friday’ on the main court and will be the last on the day’s schedule.
The match between Berrettini and Ruud is already a small classic of contemporary tennis. They have faced each other seven times, with a balance that smiles on the Norwegian (4-3). The script, so far, has been clear: Ruud has come into his own mostly on clay, his natural habitat, while Berrettini has been able to hit in concrete tournaments, such as at the 2020 US Open or the 2023 United Cup. Also memorable was the Madrid 2021 battle, when the Roman imposed himself with authority in the Spanish Masters 1000.
The last intersection in a Slam, at the US Open 2022, had seen Ruud dominate, but so much has changed since then. Berrettini, despite the forced stops, has returned with a fierce desire to prove his worth. Ruud, for his part, remains one of the most solid players on the circuit, capable of reaching multiple Slam finals and maintaining a continuity that few have.
