Matteo Berrettini

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Berrettini Returns: After a promising start to the year saw Berrettini charge to the semi-finals at the Australian Open, the Italian’s 2022 season was interrupted by right-hand surgery in March. The 26-year-old went 11-1 on grass in 2021, lifting the trophy at the Cinch Championships in London before charging to his maiden Grand Slam final at Wimbledon. Can Berrettini find his rhythm quickly and generate further grass success in Stuttgart?

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/stuttga ... ing-report

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Berrettini’s Back! Italian Battles Past Albot In Stuttgart

Spoiler:

World No. 10 wins comeback match after layoff due to hand surgery
Matteo Berrettini celebrated his first competitive match since undergoing hand surgery in March with victory over Radu Albot at the BOSS OPEN in Stuttgart on Wednesday afternoon, but it wasn’t just the 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 result that had the Italian feeling satisfied at the German ATP 250 event.

“I feel good, physically especially,” said second seed Berrettini after seeing off an Albot comeback to seal the second-round win. “I didn’t take it for granted that I was stepping out and feeling good, especially after a surgery. I’ve never had one [before]. I’m really happy, I played three sets, so I’m feeling good.”

Berrettini underwent a minor operation on his right hand in late March after opening his 2022 season with a 9-6 match record that included a run to a third Grand Slam semi-final at January’s Australian Open. He holds fond memories from Stuttgart, where he lifted the trophy in 2019, but he was made to battle to maintain his unbeaten record at the grass-court event.


A fast start from Berrettini saw him break the Moldovan qualifier’s serve twice to ease to the opening set, but the Italian was pegged back in the second as the World No. 121 rallied to level the match. Berrettini crucially fended off two break points to hold in the first game of the third set and took control from there to seal a hard-fought one-hour, 53-minute win.

“Obviously it wasn’t easy, especially mentally,” said Berrettini. “When you’re not playing a lot, you lose the rhythm a little bit. That’s why I struggled a little bit in the second set, but in the first games in the third I fought hard. I felt like I had to be there, I had to fight, and I’m happy to be through.”

Berrettini’s comeback will continue with a quarter-final clash with fellow Italian Lorenzo Sonego or home favourite Jan-Lennard Struff. The 26-year-old, who is a two-time Tour titlist on grass and reached a maiden Grand Slam final at Wimbledon last year, is pleased to be making his return on a surface he relishes.

“The grass is always one of my favourite parts of the season, so I’m [happy] to be here enjoying the grass and I’m pretty sure my level is going to get better and better,” said Berrettini. “Today was the first important step.”

Also on Wednesday, Benjamin Bonzi claimed a 7-6(3), 6-2 win in an all-French clash with Arthur Rinderknech. Both players came into the match with a 2-2 tour-level record on grass, but it was Bonzi who raised his level to claim the first-set tie break before breaking twice in the second set to seal victory. He next faces fourth seed Denis Shapovalov or Oscar Otte.

In the remaining first-round match to be completed at the ATP 250 event, Nikoloz Basilashvili clinched the two games he needed against Lorenzo Musetti to book a second-round meeting with Nick Kyrgios.

Play was suspended due to rain on Tuesday evening with fifth seed Basilashvili leading the Italian by a set and 4-2, and he held his nerve upon resumption on Wednesday to complete a 7-5, 6-3 victory and reach the second round in Stuttgart for the third time.

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/berrett ... -wednesday

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Berrettini Sinks Sonego In Stuttgart

Spoiler:

Italian seeking second title at ATP 250
Matteo Berrettini's return to Tour continued to gather pace Friday when the Italian edged countryman Lorenzo Sonego 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 to reach his second semi-final of the season at the BOSS OPEN In Stuttgart.

The World No. 10 is competing for the first time since he underwent a minor operation on his right hand in March. Despite being sidelined for three months, the 26-year-old has quickly found his range at an event he triumphed at in his only previous appearance in 2019.

“It was a really tough match,” Berrettini said in his on-court interview. “Lorenzo was playing really well. I wasn’t feeling that comfortable but it is normal. I haven’t played for three months and it isn’t easy to come back. The crowd helped me and my team is always here. I am happy with the win.”


Berrettini, who moved past Radu Albot in his opening match, took the ball early against Sonego to dictate with his powerful forehand, forcing the 27-year-old deep behind the baseline to advance after two hours and 19 minutes in their first ATP Head2Head meeting.

“It is really nice, we are playing in the best tournaments in the world against each other,” Berrettini said when discussing how he felt playing against friend Sonego. “We started playing against each other aged 10, so it is really nice to see where we are. He is a really nice guy, we hit a lot together.”

The Italian reached the semi-finals at the Australian Open in January and now holds an 11-6 record on the season. He will next face Oscar Otte at the ATP 250 grass-court tournament after the German received a walkover from Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi.

Berrettini enjoyed success on the grass last year, soaring to the title at the Cinch Championships, before he reached his maiden Grand Slam final at Wimbledon.

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Berrettini Storms Into Stuttgart Final On Return

Spoiler:

Italian plays Kyrgios or Murray in the final
Matteo Berrettini’s comeback hit new heights on Saturday when the Italian edged Germany’s Oscar Otte 7-6(7), 7-6(5) at the BOSS OPEN to reach his first tour-level final of the season.

Berrettini missed the clay season after being sidelined with a right-hand injury in March. However, the second seed has quickly found his best level on his return to the Tour this week in Stuttgart to reach a fourth tour-level final on grass.

In a tight clash, the World No. 10 fired 18 aces, won 84 per cent (41/49) of his first-serve points and saved one set point at 6/7 in the first-set tie-break, before eventually advancing after one hour and 48 minutes. The Italian now leads the 28-year-old 3-0 in their ATP Head2Head series.

Berrettini now holds a perfect 8-0 record at the ATP 250 grass-court event, having lifted the trophy on his debut in 2019. The 26-year-old, who is 27-6 on the surface in his career, will face Australian Nick Kyrgios or former World No. 1 Andy Murray on Sunday.

Alongside Stuttgart, the five-time tour-level champion captured the crown at the Cinch Championships in London last year, before he advanced to his maiden Grand Slam final at Wimbledon, losing to Novak Djokovic.

Home favourite Otte was playing in his second tour-level semi-final of the season after reaching the last four in Munich in April. The German is up to No. 50 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings following his run in Stuttgart.

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Berrettini Marks Return To Tour With Stuttgart Title

Spoiler:

Italian has now won six tour-level trophies
Matteo Berrettini capped his return to Tour by winning his first title of the season Sunday, overcoming former World No. 1 Andy Murray 6-4, 5-7, 6-3 in the BOSS OPEN final.

The Italian missed the clay season after undergoing a minor operation on his right hand in late March, but has played like he has never been away in Stuttgart, improving to 28-6 on grass.

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In a tight final, the the second seed demonstrated good footwork to dictate play on his forehand, hitting with brutal power to pin Murray back and triumph after two hours and 35 minutes. With his victory, Berrettini has improved to 2-1 in his ATP Head2Head series against the former World No. 1.

The 26-year-old now holds a perfect 9-0 record at the ATP 250 event, having won the title in his only previous appearance in Stuttgart in 2019. Berrettini also clinched the crown on grass at The Queen’s Club last year, defeating Cameron Norrie in the final in London.

The World No. 10 will aim to retain his title at the Cinch Championships next week and could play record five-time champion Murray in the second round.

Playing in front of a packed crowd in Germany, Berrettini made a fast start, breaking in the third game to lead. The Italian hit with good precision throughout the first set to dictate the tempo, moving ahead after 50 minutes.

However, Murray showed his fighting spirit by responding in the second set. After fending off three break points on serve at 4-4, he capitalised on his chance in the 12th game, seizing the set on his first set point. Berrettini would not be denied, though. He broke in the first game on the third set as Murray started to tire, with the Scot receiving a medical timeout in the decider. Berrettini kept his concentration on serve, holding his nerve to capture his sixth tour-level title.

Murray was playing in his first tour-level singles final on grass since he lifted the trophy at Wimbledon in 2016. The Scot, who upset World No. 5 Stefanos Tsitsipas en route to his 10th tour-level championship match on grass, is up to No. 47 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings.

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