Matteo Berrettini came back from one set down to beat Mackenzie McDonald 3-6 7-6 (7-2) 6-3 at the Napoli Tennis Cup after 2 hours and 30 minutes reaching the first ATP Tour final of his career on Italian soil.
Berrettini wasted a break point in the first game of the opening set. The Italian player struggled on serve in the first set and was broken twice to trail 0-5 down.
Berrettini received a medical time-out to treat a foot injury at 2-5. The 2019 Wimbledon player pulled one break back for 3-5, but McDonald closed out the first set with a hold at love.
Berrettini broke serve in the fourth game of the second set to take a 3-1 lead. McDonald broke straight back to draw level to 3-3. Berrettini earned a second break in the eighth game to take a 5-3 lead earning a set point, but McDonald pulled back on serve for the second time to draw level to 5-5. Berrettini earned two mini-breaks to win the tie-break 7-2.
Berrettini went up a break in the seventh game to take a 4-3 lead. McDonald saved the first match point with a crosscourt forehand. Berrettini broke serve on his second opportunity to close out the third set 6-3 as McDonald sent his backhand volley long.
Berrettini set up an all-Italian final against Lorenzo Musetti, who moved past Miomir Kecmanovic 6-3 6-4 after 1 hour and 30 minutes. Musetti hit 29 winners to Kecmanovic’s 19. Musetti was playing his third consecutive ATP Tour semifinal following Sofia and Florence.
“I did not even know how I did it. I was not feeling very good. I asked for the physio because my foot was hurting. It happened so many times in my career that I had to fight through so many things, not just thinking about the tennis ball. I did not to retire. My team told me: I think you should stop”. But I tried and I found a way”.
Berrettini and Musetti will play in the eighth all-Italian final in the history of the ATP Tour. Kecmanovic earned the first break in the third game, but Musetti broke straight back to draw level to 2-2.
Musetti earned a second break in the sixth game and never looked back in his next service games to win the first set 6-3.
Musetti broke serve at love in the fifth game to take a 3-2 lead. Kecmanovic saved two break points in the seventh game to hold serve at deuce. Musetti held his next service games and sealed the second set 6-4 on his second match point.
“I am enjoying playing with this beautiful view. I am serving really big. I have conceded a break once in three matches and I have not lost a set. I am feeling confident and I am returning pretty well. I did a lot of improvements from last season”, said Musetti.
