World number 10 Matteo Berrettini made it through to the fourth round at the Australian Open in Melbourne for the first time in his career with a 7-6 (7-1) 7-6 (7-5) 7-6 (7-5) over Karen Khachanov despite an abdominal injury.
Berrettini set up a Round of 16 match against Stefanos Tsitsipas, who cruised past Swede Mikael Yimer 6-4 6-1 6-1.
Berrettini becomes the sixth Italian player in the Open Era to reach the Round of 16 in Melbourne.
The Rome-native player entered today’s match against Khachanov with a 3-0 lead in their previous three head-to-head matches.
Both players showed good form in the build-up to the Australian Open. Berrettini reached the quarter final in Antalya and won all his singles matches against Dominic Thiem, Gael Monfils and Roberto Bautista Agut to guide Italy to the ATP Cup final against Russia. Khachanov reached the semifinals at the Great Ocean in Melbourne last week, but he lost to eventual champion Jannik Sinner in a final-set tie-break.
Berrettini reached the US Open semifinal in 2019, but he had never made it through to the second week at the Australian Open. Khachanov was aiming to reach a maiden fourth round in Melbourne. The Russian player got through to his only Grand Slam quarter final at Roland Garros in 2019.
The match started with four breaks in the first five games. Berrettini earned the first break at love in the opening game. Khachanov broke straight back in the second game and consolidated the break by holding serve in the third game to take a 2-1 lead. Khachanov earned his second break in the fourth game to open up a 3-1 lead, but his advantage did not last long, as Berrettini got back to serve in the fifth game to draw level to 3-3. The next serves went on serve en route to the tie-break. Berrettini earned three mini-breaks to race out to a 4-0 lead and never looked back to cruise through to a 7-1 win in the 52-minute tie-break.
Neither player faced a break point in the second set. Berrettini went down 0-30 on serve in the fifth game, but he was able to hold his serve at deuce. The Italian player held another service game at deuce in the seventh game. Both players held on their serve with no break points en route to the second tie-break. Berrettini earned his first mini-break after a volley error from Khachanov, but the Russian player broke straight back. Berrettini earned his second mini-break to take a 6-4 lead and sealed the tie-break on his second set point with his 13th ace.
Berrettini earned two break points in the first game of the third set, but Khachanov dug deep and saved them to hold his serve. Khachanov brought up his first two chances of the third set on Berrettini’s serve in the sixth game, but he was not to convert them, as he passing shot hit the net cord and sailed wide. Berrettini hit a forehand and took a medical time-out to receive treatment for an abdominal injury during the changeover at 5-4. Berrettini looked uncomfortable, but he earned a break point in the 11th game. Khachanov fended it off with a volley.
Berrettini went down 1-4 in the tie-break, but he clawed his way back to 5-5 and earned a match point, as Khachanov netted a forehand. Berrettini sealed the win, as Khachanov hit his 38th unforced error of the match.
Berrettini hit 46 winners (including 17 aces) and won 84 % of his first serve points.
The Italian player lost to his next opponent Stefanos Tsitsipas in their only only previous head-to-head ATP Tour match in the Australian Open first round in 2019.
“I don’t know what happened. I felt here under my rib something that pulled, but the physio said that nothing was pulled. It could be some muscle that wasn’t working properly, but I was really feeling it when I was serving and obviously my mindset went a little bit away, because I was thinking about it. I was two sets up, I was playing good, I was feeling the momentum, then all of a sudden I felt this. I am really glad I could win the third set. Now I have to do a great job with my physio to get back on back on court in two days”, said Berrettini.
