In an intense showdown earlier, Matteo Berrettini, a former Wimbledon finalist, overcame a challenging first set to defeat the German top seed, Alexander Zverev. This loss for Zverev, who is second-ranked, guarantees that Jannik Sinner will maintain his position as the world number one. Sinner will hold onto this title through his return from a three-month doping suspension during the Italian Open in May.
The match kicked off with Zverev breaking Berrettini’s serve twice, showcasing dominance in the first set. However, the tide turned in the second set when Berrettini seized his first break opportunity, pushing the match to a final set showdown.
Berrettini seemed poised to finish off the third set at 5-3. Nonetheless, Zverev mounted a spirited comeback, leveling the score thanks to a strong return game. Yet, Berrettini held his composure, breaking Zverev once more and managing to serve out a nerve-wracking third set that lasted 68 minutes.
This victory is particularly significant for Berrettini as he celebrates the highest-ranked win in his career. He now looks forward to facing either fellow Italian Lorenzo Musetti or the Czech player Jiri Lehecka in the third round.
In other matches on Tuesday, reigning champion Stefanos Tsitsipas staged a comeback of his own. After dropping the first set to Australian Jordan Thompson, Tsitsipas rallied to secure a 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 victory.
