Tennis, Zverev: “Berrettini can win Wimbledon”

WINBLEDON. “If you play like this, you can win the tournament.” Sascha Zverev said it, shaking Matteo’s hand after the three sets with which the rediscovered champion sent him home in the third round of Wimbledon. He said it, many thought it. Because Berrettini, who landed in London without even the certainty of being able to play, today on the court looks a lot like the champion who reached the final two years ago by snatching a set from Djokovic. For now he has played ten sets, he has lost one (in a tiebreak with Sonego) but in 54 servings he has never had his serve broken.

“I don’t know how it happened. Maybe it’s thanks to a special place like this», Matteo throws it out in front of the audience of pitch number 1, at half past nine in the evening, after a match dominated beyond the score (6-3 7-6 7-6) , of the two tiebreaks also won with a little help from Zverev (disastrous at the net) and despite an interruption of almost an hour due to a downpour of rain (Possible that late in the evening, with a constant danger of precipitation, it took just to close the roof on field number 1? The organization is showing the rope this year). “Sascha said that? I’m glad, thank you. I certainly feel good on the pitch. In fact, I felt more tired the first day against Sonego. After that lost set I was angry, but in the locker room I told myself that I had to enjoy it, that it was already a lot to be here”.

Here, exactly. A few days before the start of the Championships Matteo didn’t feel ready, «because to play a Grand Slam you have to be physically, technically, mentally and emotionally fit. The will to play is not enough. My team left me free to decide and in the end I thought I couldn’t leave here without even trying». That’s better. Even at the cost of going on the pitch for five days in a row: the three of the derby interrupted with Sonego, the one of the victory over De Minaur, and yesterday. «My coach jokingly told me: too bad you’re resting tomorrow… The truth is that last year, after I had to retire due to covid, I stayed in bed for five days crying. So what do you want to be five days spent playing».

Matteo has found confidence, serenity, and above all the blows. The forehand, the serve, and a backhand slice that helps him move the game. «It’s true, in recent months I felt frustrated because I wasn’t able to use them as I know how to do, but to do it best you also have to be fit. Today at the beginning I was nervous, but from the end of the second set, after the break, I understood that I could put him in trouble».

On Monday in the round of 16, world number 1, Carlos Alcaraz, is at stake. At stake is a place in the quarterfinals which on the eve seemed like fantatennis: «A pretty tough draw, right? I’ve already played with Carlos, in Australia I beat him in five sets, in Rio we battled for another three. Everything about him impresses me. At 20 he is physically ready, while at his age I weighed fifteen kilos less than now. The thing that strikes me the most is how he knows how to handle the pressure: he always smiles, he never exaggerates, he doesn’t act weird even when he loses. Truly an example for everyone.” Matteo has had to suffer the pressure in recent months above all from social networks, from those who did not forgive him for appearances on TV or at festivals, commercials, the love story with Melissa Satta, who was also in the gallery yesterday to applaud him. «I’m a smoker, sometimes I light up, but I’ve always told myself that these people need to be made to talk. I know who I am, the path I have taken. Tennis reflects what happens to you in life, and for a while I was dissatisfied with myself, also due to the injuries that prevented me from achieving certain results, and this was reflected on the court. The thing I’m sorry about is that even the people who are close to me and who are close to me had to bear certain insults, and who really didn’t deserve them.” Now it’s time for revenge. Actually, no: it’s time to enjoy this newfound serenity.