Photo credit: www.bbc.com
In a stunning display of resilience, former Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini overcame a set deficit to defeat the top-seeded German player Alexander Zverev.
This unexpected defeat for the highly-ranked Zverev solidifies Jannik Sinner’s position as world number one, set to remain so when he returns from his three-month doping suspension at the upcoming Italian Open in May.
During the match, Zverev initially showcased his dominance by breaking Berrettini’s serve twice in a commanding first set. However, the Italian player rebounded in the second set, seizing his first significant opportunity to push the match into a deciding set.
Berrettini took command, serving at 5-3 in the final set, yet Zverev retaliated with a strong return game, managing to level the score. Despite this response, Berrettini was undeterred; he broke Zverev’s serve once more and maintained his composure to clinch the third set after an intense 68 minutes of play.
This victory marks a significant milestone in Berrettini’s career, being the highest-ranked opponent he has defeated to date. Following this match, he is set to face either his fellow Italian Lorenzo Musetti or Czech player Jiri Lehecka in the third round.
In other matches on Tuesday, defending champion Stefanos Tsitsipas also made a noteworthy comeback, rallying from a set down to secure victory over Australian Jordan Thompson with a scoreline of 4-6, 6-4, 6-2.
Source
www.bbc.com