We’re almost there, the wait is about to end. Tomorrow Matteo Berrettini will challenge the Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz (seeded # 31) in the match valid for the third round of the Australian Open 2022: up for grabs the round of 16 against the winner of the match between Spanish Pablo Carreno Busta (seeded # 19) e the American Sebastian Korda (No. 43 in the world).

It won’t be the first fight between the Roman and Alcaraz. I should have indeed already addressed in the quarter-finals of the ATP 500 in Vienna in 2021 e to win in that case was the Iberian, which is imposed for 6-1 6-7 (2), 7-6 (5) at the end of a game really full of entertainment. Yesterday, it Spanish wanted that match like this: “I remember being very aggressive. Since that game I am also very experienced ”.

For Matteo Berrettini tomorrow will be very important hack with the service and not be too foul in response, but a lot will also depend on his state of form (the blue has not yet recovered in the best possible way from the abdominal injury suffered at the ATP Finals last year and, among other things, has had several gastrointestinal problems in the past few days). The number 1 in Italy he is however aware of his means e knows he can do better than Vienna: “That game was decided on a few points even though he was playing at a crazy level, especially in the first set. I was hooked on the match even though I wasn’t playing my best match ”.

ATP classification, for Matteo Berrettini he would change everything by beating Carlos Alacaraz. In case of defeat …

Looking at their path here in Australia, Berrettini comes to this match after i successes in four sets against Americans Brandon Nakashima (n.68 ATP) and Stefan Kozlov (No. 169 of the ranking), while the Spanish is to reduce from two convincing 3-0 against Chilean Alejandro Tabilo (# 135 in the world) e the Serbian Dusan Lajovic (39 ATP). It will certainly be a very interesting challenge, a match that could really end in any way. Alcaraz seems to be a favorite, but the blue certainly won’t be defeated easily: that the best wins.

Photo: La Presse