Matteo Berrettini ‘can win Wimbledon if he plays like this’, says beaten rival

Shahida Jacobs
Matteo Berrettini
A delighted Matteo Berrettini after winning

Matteo Berrettini can beat “anybody” at Wimbledon if he can replicate the clinical display he produced in the third round for the remainder of the tournament.

That is the verdict of Alexander Zverev, who was on the receiving end in said third-round clash.

Not too many people expected Berrettini to make a deep run at Wimbledon this year as he struggled with injury in the build-up to the tournament. Yet, the 2021 runner-up finds himself in the fourth round after taking out Lorenzo Sonego, 15th seed Alex de Minaur and 19th seed Zverev.

His performance against Zverev was particularly impressive as he delivered a serving master class to win 6-3, 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-5), having won 74% of his service points while he faced just one break point – which he saved.

Up next is world No 1 Carlos Alcaraz and Zverev was asked about the Italian’s performance after the match and replied: “I told him that he can win the tournament if he plays like this. In my opinion.

“I mean, of course there are other players that are great. He’s playing Alcaraz next. I think he’s a great player as well. But if he plays like this, to be honest, he has chances against anybody.”

Berrettini enjoyed a troubled 2023 campaign to date as he lost in the first round of the Australian Open against Andy Murray. He then missed the bulk of the clay-court season – including the French Open – due to an abdominal injury.

He finally made his return at the Stuttgart Open, but lost his opener and left the court in tears before missing his Queen’s Club Championship title defence because of his abdominal problem.

Berrettini admitted that he didn’t think he would play at SW19 this year.

“If they told me a few weeks ago you’re going to play five days in a row in Wimbledon, I would have signed with my blood,” the Italian said.

“I really spent days in bed thinking about the tournaments that I missed, the injuries that I had, sadness that I was feeling. I was like, ‘I have to come back and feel alive when I play’.

“That’s the energy I have right now. It doesn’t matter how tired I am. In the morning, go there, enjoy. I find that extra energy that maybe a few years ago I took for granted.”

As for playing one of the favourites Alcaraz in the fourth round, it’s a challenge that the former world No 6 is looking forward to.

“In a way it’s what you want, right? You want to play against the best players in the world,” he said.

“Playing against Carlos, it’s always been a pleasure, a great fight. He’s the best player in the world. It’s going to be a great challenge. But I’m so glad that I have this opportunity right now.

“I remember watching him play at Roland Garros from my TV. Now it’s going to be me against him. I’m really happy for that. I think this is going to help me to go there and enjoy and find that extra energy that I was talking about.”

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