Australia

Italy in for special sporting weekend as Matteo Berrettini makes Wimbledon final


Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini says Italians should make sure they have a nice TV for what he promises to be a special day for the sports-mad nation.

The 25-year-old will become the first Italian to play in a singles final at the All England Club when he takes on five-time champion Novak Djokovic on Centre Court.

A few hours later at Wembley Stadium, Italy take on England in a momentous Euro 2020 soccer final — a clash that has sent the home nation into euphoria.

“I will tell them to buy a nice TV if they don’t have one already because I think it’s going to be a special Sunday for all of us,” Berrettini said when asked about the seismic sporting day in which he will play a leading role.

“Then for football, because I mean, we didn’t qualify for the World Cup [in 2018], so after that the job that they did, how hard they worked, the effort that they put, I think they really deserve this final.”

Berrettini will be a huge underdog in his first grand slam final against the Serb who is playing his 30th.

The Euro 2020 final, however, looks too close to call.

“For Italian people in general, it’s going to be tough Sunday, no? But I think we deserve it. It’s a great day, great sport day. I’m really happy that together with football, now [tennis] is one of the biggest sports in Italy.”

Despite soccer fever breaking out across London, seventh seed Berrettini says he will only be focussing on becoming the first Italian to hoist the Challenge Cup.

Matteo Berrettini gets almost down on one knee to play a backhand return at Wimbledon.
Matteo Berrettini cruised through the first two sets, but was then made to fight by Hubert Hurkacz before winning in four sets.(

AP: Alberto Pezzali

)

Berrettini swept through the opening two sets against Hurkacz — the quarter-final conqueror of Roger Federer — who appeared not to cope with the big stage at times in the semi-final.

Hurkacz led 3-2 in the opening set before Berrettini took over, reeling off 11 games in a row to clinch the opening two sets, including a “bagel” in the second set where the Polish player did not get on the scoreboard.

Roared on by the crowd, Hurkacz made a stand in the third set, winning a tie-break 7-3 to keep himself in the tournament.

But Berrettini broke in the opening game of the fourth set, and Hurkacz was not able to threaten on the Italian’s serve — the best he was able to do was get to 30-30 in the sixth game.

In the end, Berrettini served it out to win 6-3, 6-0, 6-7 (7/3), 6-4 in two hours, 37 minutes.

Djokovic on track for 20th title

Novak Djokovic said he expects a “great battle” against Berrettini in Sunday’s final when victory will earn the Serb a record-equalling 20th grand slam title.

The 34-year-old maintained his imperious progress as he fought off Canadian Denis Shapovalov in three tight sets to move into his 30th slam final.

Seventh seed Berrettini will be contesting his first but Djokovic is fully aware that the 25-year-old who bangs down serves at close to 225 kilometres per hour is a credible threat to his hopes of drawing level with Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal.

“Anything is possible in the finals,” defending champion Djokovic, who has won five of his previous six Wimbledon finals including in 2018 and 2019, told reporters.

“Obviously experience is on my side. But Berrettini has been winning a lot of matches on grass courts this year, winning Queen’s. He’s in great form. He’s serving big, playing big.

“So it’s going to be a very tough match I think for both of us. But I’m looking forward to a great battle.”

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Djokovic booked his place in the final with a typically dogmatic performance against Shapovalov who, in his first grand slam semi-final, often outshone his illustrious opponent but faltered at critical moments.

The world number one made only 15 unforced errors and managed to fend off 10 of the 11 break points he faced in a victory that was as just as tight as the 7-6 (7/3), 7-5, 7-5 scoreline suggested.

“It was not a straightforward match, even though it was a straight-set victory,” said Djokovic, who is unbeaten at Wimbledon since a quarter-final exit in 2017 when he retired hurt against Tomas Berdych. “It was very close.

“In important moments I think I probably held my nerves better than he did and just make him play an extra shot, make him do an unforced error, which was the case.”

Reuters/ABC



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