Matteo Berrettini became the first Italian man to reach a grand slam final since Adriano Panatta won the 1976 Roland Garros title.
The 2021 edition of Wimbledon saw Novak Djokovic pull off a stunning triumph to showcase his calibre and ability to compete for the greatest prizes in the world of tennis. However, it also witnessed another incredible feat as Matteo Berrettini became the first Italian man to reach a grand slam final since Adriano Panatta won the 1976 Roland Garros title. Berrettini had won the biggest title of his career so far going into the tournament, having won the Queen’s Club Championships, which marked his first triumph on the ATP 500 level. The Italian had become the first player from the nation to win the prestigious title, as well as the first debutant to register a triumph at Queen’s Club.
Berrettini has faced against some great tennis players and that has resulted in some incredible rivalries. Here is a look at some of them.
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Things have certainly not been smooth sailing for the Italian when it comes to facing the number 1 player in the world. Berrettini and Djokovic have faced each other four times and the Serb has won them all. Three of the four came in three grand slams in 2021, the US Open, Roland Garros, and Wimbledon. In 2019, Djokovic defeated Berrettini in the Nitto ATP Finals.
Total matches | Matches won by Djokovic | Matches won by Berrettini |
4 | 4 | 0 |
Berrettini and Nadal have only faced each other once and it was the Spaniard that emerged victorious at that moment. It was the 2019 US Open when the two played out a splendid match that saw Nadal record a straight-sets victory.
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Total matches | Matches won by Nadal | Matches won by Berrettini |
1 | 1 | 0 |
Two out of the three times Berrettini and Federer have faced, the latter has emerged victorious. Both came in the year 2019. The Swiss superstar won the matches against the Italian at the 2019 Wimbledon and Nitto ATP Finals.
Berrettini finally got one over Federer at the 2020 Roland Garros. However, it was not a proper victory as Federer decided against playing the match due to injury, and the Italian won by default.
Total matches | Matches won by Federer | Matches won by Berrettini |
3 | 2 | 1 |
Berrettini has faced Zverev four times in his career and has only recorded one victory so far. The German has proven to be a tough opponent over the years. All the matches were a part of ATP tournaments, with the Italian’s sole success coming at the 2019 ATP Masters 1000 event in Rome.
Total matches | Matches won by Zverev | Matches won by Berrettini |
4 | 3 | 1 |
Berrettini and Garin have had a rivalry that has been a bit under the radar, but a tight one nonetheless. The Italian has faced Garin three times in his career so far and has emerged victorious on two of those occasions, both at ATP events.
Total matches | Matches won by Garin | Matches won by Berrettini |
3 | 1 | 2 |