Novak Djokovic highlights ‘red-hot’ Matteo Berrettini’s ‘big weapons’ ahead of Wimbledon final

ATP Tour
Matteo Berrettini pumped up

A huge serve and a big forehand are just some of the weapons that Matteo Berrettini has in his arsenal ahead of the Wimbledon final, according to Novak Djokovic.

Berrettini will take on the world No 1 in his maiden Grand Slam final on Sunday after beating Hurbert Hurkacz in four sets on Friday.

Djokovic is the favourite, but the Italian is the form player on grass as he won the cinch Championship at Queen’s Club ahead of Wimbledon while he also made it into the quarter-finals at Roland Garros.

2021 Wimbledon men’s final info, form, betting and preview: Novak Djokovic vs Matteo Berrettini

The 19-time major champion, who will be gunning for a sixth Wimbledon trophy on Sunday, heaped praise on the seventh seed and knows Berrettini can trouble him with his serve and forehand.

“He’s one of the best players in the world in the last 12 months I think,” he said. “I mean, he’s had some big wins against Dominic Thiem in Australia, had semi-finals of US Open few years ago. He’s just working his way up.

“With big weapons in serve and forehand, I mean, he can play well, which he has proven, on any surface. Finals of Madrid this year. We played against each other in quarters of Roland Garros, which was a very tight and very tough four-setter.

“Obviously grass favours him even more, favours his game. If he serves big, as he did throughout the entire tournament, it’s tough to break his serve, it’s tough to go into the rhythm, to find a good positioning to return, make him play.

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“But I believe in my return. I think return has served me very well throughout my career. Hopefully I’ll be able to get a lot of those serves back and wait for my chances.

“I will have to also serve myself efficiently as I’ve done today. I think I served very well, especially when I needed a first serve, getting myself out of trouble, I found it.

“It’s finals. It’s really anybody’s game. He’s arguably the guy who has been in the best form on grass courts this year, winning Queen’s. He’s red hot. It’s going to be a great battle.”

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Matteo Berrettini Novak Djokovic

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