Shanghai, beautiful Berrettini and win: O’Connell folds twice in the tiebreak. Then comes the celebration in Neapolitan

The hammer is backby return mail: Matteo Berrettini you forcefully take the second round at Masters 1000 in Shanghai, dispelling doubts about his fitness after the stomach problem that forced him to abandon the quarter-final Tokyo the face Mannarino. The Australian Christopher O’Connell However, he did not make life so easy: he conceded twice in tiebreakersbut not before he sold a skin at a high price, so he managed to offer the Roman a very reliable test as a result of the next rounds. Just what was needed Matteo to get back on track forever.

A pursuit race, a very positive test

O’Connell he tried above all to whip Berrettini in the first set, when he fled with him break in the fifth gamecapitalizing on too many mistakes by the Italians at the back. Who was he too very good at responding immediately to his opponent’s escape attempt, earning himself two break points in the next game (all canceled) and then a third to take the lead, the one that sent him back in the game.

At that time duty shifts have grown significantlywith only Berrettini who had to save another break point before going on the set disappointment (no runs allowed in the next two innings).

Tiebreak Comeback, won by experience

Where, however, things did not go as planned: O’Connell moved up to 5-1, but then a Run 4 points successive years have put him back on track Matteo, who saved himself a couple of blunders and mistakes with the Australian’s sleight of hand. Who had the primo set point on the racket but on the Italian’s serve (a backhand on the tape and a change of court at 6 all), who lost a man by hitting a hand too deep at 7-6 and serving O’Connell.

Two other set points had no effect on the other’s serve (the Australian saved with a forehand that just pinned the line was interesting, see from the hawk’s eye after the line judge’s call), however Berrettini he got one and with it powerful service to the body the defeat ended at 11-9 after over an hour of play.

“Mama do Carmine”: Berrettini jokes about it

The two wasted set points weighed heavily on his mind O’Connell, who in the first game of the second set immediately paid the price for a piece of frustration, admitting two breakpoints (Matteo did the first one enough). In contrast, Berrettini he gained confidence and yielded very little to the wishes of his rival, which destroyed him in the fourth game, when he took advantage of him without receiving the counter.

The board looked nice set up for quick and painless closing, but when he went to serve for the game, the Romanian got involvedto lose the service to zero. In the next match there was a break point which was O’Connell he sent it away with difficulty, and at that time the match dragged back to the break of the tie, where Matteo started to be decidedly better, getting small break in the fifth exchange, then sending an unfortunate shot straight into the net.

Only the balance is broken when O’Connell failed to send the first (otherwise just aces or something similar, for both): the first match point on the Australian service which was haunted by the usual joy, but then on the second one, thanks to a deep service and a beautiful shower Berrettini he closed the score, winning a real battle of nerves (and muscles). So much so that the message came through clearly in the signature on the cameras at the end of the race: “Carmine’s Mom”. In short, a good sweat.

The second round with Rune: a very positive test

In the second round the bar is going to rise: Berrettini will face Holger RuneNo. 12 seed, recent semifinal at Tokyo (he lost to Arthur Mac) with which he is at a disadvantage in direct conflict, the last of which was lost in Cincinnati last summer in the third set after dominating the first.

Before that Berrettini he had also missed a clue Acapulco at the beginning of 2023 (but in that case the 6-0 1-0 was above all with a physical problem that forced him to retire at the beginning of the second set), while the first a game with a date. March 2022 in Indian Wells (also in that case with an epilogue to the third).