Holger Rune battles past Matteo Berrettini to reach the third round at The Australian Open - UBITENNIS

Holger Rune battles past Matteo Berrettini to reach the third round at The Australian Open

By sampaolo
6 Min Read

Holger Rune beat Matteo Berrettini 7-6 (7-3) 2-6 6-3 7-6 (8-6) after 3 hours and 27 minutes to advance to the third round at the Australian Open. 

Berrettini saved a break point to hold serve at deuce in the first game. Rune broke serve in the fourth game to open up a 3-1 lead. The next four games went on serve. Berrettini did not convert two set points at 5-3 in the ninth game before Rune broke back in the 10th game to draw level to 5-5. Berrettini went down 5-5 0-30, but he held serve at deuce for 6-5. Rune won five consecutive games from 0-1 down. Berrettini pulled one of two mini-breaks back for 3-5, but Rune earned three set points with another mini-break. Rune closed it out on his first set point 7-3.

Berrettini won eight of the next eleven points at the start of the second set to open up a 2-0 lead with a break at 15 in the first game. Rune saved a break point in the third game. Berrettini broke serve at 30 in the fifth game to open up a 4-1 lead. Rune saved two break points in the sixth game but he missed a break point in the eighth game. Berrettini served out the second set on his third set point after 46 minutes. 

Rune broke serve in the fourth game to take a 3-1 lead. The Danish player dropped just two points in his next three service games to seal the third set with a hold at love. 

Berrettini saved two break points in the first game of the fourth set, but Rune converted his third chance and held serve at 15 to open up a 2-0 lead. Berrettini converted his third break point in the sixth game to draw level to 3-3. The Italian player faced a break point in the seventh game to hold serve at deuce for 4-3. Both players went on serve until the 12th game when Rune saved a break point forcing the match to the tie-break. Berrettini earned a mini-break to open up a 3-1 lead. Rune pulled the mini-break back for 2-3, but Berrettini won two consecutive return points to take a 5-2 lead. Rune reeled off four consecutive points to earn a match point at 6-5 but Berrettini saved it to draw level to 6-6. Rune sealed the win with another mini-break on his second match point. Rune set up a third round match against Miomir Kezmanovic. 

Lorenzo Sonego clawed his way back to beat Brazilian 18-year-old Next Gen player Joao Fonseca 6-7 (6-8) 6-3 6-1 3-6 6-3 after 3 hours an 37 minutes in the second round at the Australian Open in Melbourne. 

Sonego ended a 14-match winning streak for Fonseca, who won the Next Gen Finals in Jeddah last December and upset Andrey Rublev in the first round at the Australian Open on Tuesday claiming his first top 10 win. 

Little separated Fonseca and Sonego, who held on their service games with no break points setting up a tie-break. Fonseca earned two mini-breaks to take a 6-3 lead. Sonego pulled back on serve to draw level to 6-6. Fonseca won the final two points to claiom the tie-break 8-6. Sonego earned a break in the third game of the second set to take a 2-1 lead, after a series of unforced error from Fonseca. Sonego broke again on his second set point in the ninth point. 

Sonego broke serve at love in the fourth game to take a 3-1 lead after Sonego missed a net volley. 

Fonseca broke in the second game of the fourth set to take a 2-0 lead after Sonego made a double fault. The Brazilian player held on his serve to win the fourth set 6-3 sending the match to the decider. 

Fonseca earned a break point at 3-3 in the fifth set, but he was not able to convert it. Sonego broke in the next game and served out for the match. 

Last month Fonseca became the second youngest champion of the Next Gen ATP Finals since current world number 1 Jannik Sinner claimed this title. Fonseca went on to win the ATP Challenger title in Canberra before coming through the qualifying round to reach his first Grand Slam main draw. 

Sonego set up a third round match against Fabian Maroszan. 

“I think it was one of the best matches in my life. I played really well today, and I served really good. I was focused on every point”, said Sonego. 

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