‘I thought I had him in the third set,’ Matteo Berrettini HALTS Gael Monfils comeback, scripts Australian Open HISTORY
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Matteo Berrettini
Matteo Berrettini scripted history at the Rod Laver Arena on Tuesday night, as he downed Gael Monfils in an epic five set thriller. The Italian became the first male player from his country to reach the semifinals of Australian Open.
The Italian was two sets up early in the game, and was headed to a convincing win. However, Gael Monfils’ experience came to the floor, as he came back storming into the match, winning the next two sets. The Frenchman put up an amazing display which had the fans on their feet.
However, in the end, Matteo Berrettini held his nerve when it mattered the most and closed out the final set, 6-2. The Italian took some time to recognize the effort from Gael Monfils, and how he quickly turned the game on its feet.
“What a great match again against Gael … I thought I had him in the third, and then I found myself in a fifth. But I really fought hard & put everything on the court,” said Berrettini.
Matteo Berrettini faces Rafael Nadal in semifinals of Australian Open
Matteo Berrettini took a cheeky dig at the booing crowd in his on-court interview. Whilst he was speaking, there were boos heard from the crowd. The Italian stated that he was happy that the stadium was full of fans, but some are really not tennis fans.
Next up, Matteo Berrettini faces the Spaniard, Rafael Nadal in the semifinals on Friday. The duo clashed against each other in the semifinals of US Open in 2019, where Nadal emerged victorious. However, this time around, the Italian is a much improved player, having reached the finals of Wimbledon.
Matteo Berrettini has already faced two Spaniards on his route to the semifinals. He first defeated Carlos Alcaraz in a five set epic in the third round, before breezing past Pablo Carreno Busta in the fourth round in straight sets.
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Nirmit Mehta
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