Matteo Berrettini came back from one set down to beat world number 2 Alexander Zverev 2-6 6-3 7-5 in 2 hours and 28 minutes at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters.Berrettini achieved the biggest win in his career by Ranking
Berrettini earned the first top 2 win of his career achieving the biggest win of his career.
Berrettini improved to 3-4 in his head-to-head series against Zverev.
Zverev earned an early break with a backhand down the line in the first game. The German player consolidated the break by holding serve in the second game. He held serve at deuce in the fourth game to take a 3-1 lead before breaking serve for the second time in the fifth game to open up a 4-1 lead, as Berrettini made a forehand error. Zverev served out the first set 6-2 with a service winner after 39 minutes.
Berrettini drew Zverev’s mistake in the fifth game to hold serve for 3-2. Zverev faced a break point in the sixth game as he made a forehand error. Berrettini broke serve to open up a 4-2 lead, as Zverev missed a forehand error. Berrettini held serve at love in the seventh game and served for the set at 5-3. Berrettini wrapped up the second set 6-3 with a forehand winner on his set point after 1 hour and 20 minutes sending the match to the third set. Berrettini won 14 of 15 first-serve points in the second set.
Both players went on serve in the first six games of the third set. Berrettini hit a forehand winner to hold serve for 3-3 before earning three break points in the seventh game. He passed Zverev at the net on his third break point to take a 4-3 lead. Berrettini saved a break point in the eighth game to hold serve for 5-3. Zverev broke back in the 10th game to draw level to 5-5, as Berrettini netted a forehand.
Berrettini earned three break points in the 11th game and won a 48-shot rally with a forehand winner at 5-5 40-40 and converted his third chance to take a 6-5 lead.
Berrettini served for the win and earned a match point in the 12thgame after Zverev made a forehand error. Berrettini wrapped up the match after a loose backhand from Zverev after 2 hours and 27 minutes.
Berrettini has won 17 of his past 18 matches on clay. He won titles on this surface in Marrakesh, Gstaad and Kitzbuhel.
“The game plan was the same but I changed my attitude and the way I was believing in my strokes. I wasn’t hitting my forehand and serve like I had in previous days and I had to adapt and adjust to the conditions and Sascha was playing unbelievable, so it was not easy. Then I told myself to be more aggressive and if I am going to lose this match, I am going to do the right things and luckily it worked. I grew up on clay, playing on it until 19. On Tour we don’t play on it as much but at the same time I have missed the biggest tournament on clay for the past three years and that was tough and now I want to enjoy it. I feel really comfortable on clay.”
Berrettini will face either his compatriot Lorenzo Musetti or Jiri Lehecka.
