US OPEN – Matteo Berrettini defeats Andy Murray in four sets

A duel against Andy Murray is never a cakewalk and Matteo Berrettini experienced it this Friday. In the 3rd round of the US Open, the Italian had to fight for 3h45 to get rid of a still eye-catching Scotsman. But Berrettini was able to keep calm and rely on his power to gain the upper hand. The 14th player in the world qualifies for the 8th where he will face the Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.

Sacred Andy Murray… At 35, undermined by hip operations and far from his glory of yesteryear, the Scotsman remains an exceptional fighter. In the 3rd round of the US Open, he gave headaches to Matteo Berrettini who had to work to get out of a famous trap.

The Italian had however managed an almost ideal start to the match. Relying on an overpowered service and great forehand strikes, the 14th in the world won the first set by breaking at 4-4 before concluding quietly behind. Almost identical scenario in the second set, with a quick break exchange, then a Berrettini who presses the accelerator at the end to take a significant advantage on the scoreboard.

Murray hangs on a thread

But Murray did not let go. True to his habits and his reputation, the Scotsman growled, grumbled, moaned … but he especially encouraged himself to never abdicate. On a wire all along the 3rd round, he managed a tie break close to perfection. After a first point won by Berrettini on a sumptuous long-line forehand, Murray did not miss anything, returning two sets to one, roaring like in his finest hours, he who won the title here in 2012 .

Berrettini’s great merit, beyond maintaining a good quality of service (18 aces, 74% of points won behind his first ball throughout the match), was to keep a cool head. Because, pushed by the public of the Arthur Ashe stadium, Murray continued to ignite the meeting. If fatigue began to be felt on both sides, “Sir Andy” leaned on it to relax on his commitments and to be more and more aggressive.

At 3-3, the Scot got a break point, which could have allowed him to tip the match in a breathless 5th set. But Berrettini did not flinch. And Murray never recovered. Just behind, the Roman took advantage of several opposing gifts to make a break that will be final. After 3:45 of the match, the 14th player in the world, semi-finalist in New York in 2019, obtained his ticket for the 8th, where he will face Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. As against Murray, the Italian would do well to be wary: the only time the two players crossed swords (Monte Carlo 2021), it was the Spaniard who won!