Matteo Berrettini, he did it in front of everyone: no one expected such a reaction.
He unquestionably deserved to win that match. And not because he was wearing the blue jersey, but because it was palpable how great was his desire to win and redeem himself after missing, last year, the chance to play in the national team. Matteo Berrettini gave it his all, then, and then some.
He did so in his debut match against Argentina, paired with the world No. 1, but also in the second round against hostile Australia. Access to the Davis Cup final basically depended on him, so it goes without saying that he played carrying a not inconsiderable weight on his shoulders. And little does it matter that he surrendered the first set to his opponent, Thanasi Kokkinakis, because of a couple of very avoidable errors, because then, try as one might to say otherwise, he recovered in a big way.
In that remuntada he put his head but mostly his heart. A blue heart hidden by pounds and pounds of muscle but that we almost seem to see beating, every time the Roman tennis player takes the court for his country. It was especially seen when, as if he were a magician, he scored the point that, although not actually match point, formally handed him the keys to “paradise” in his hands.
Berrettini, unexpected reaction immediately goes viral
The point in question is the tight forehand slice, thrown practically with a flick of the wrist, which literally displaced not only the audience, but especially his opponent.
The Australian was stunned when the ball plummeted to the concrete in Malaga and turned his gaze toward Matthew as if to make sure that that shot had come from his colleague and not from an alien. That was, without a shadow of a doubt, the point of the match, although it came at 5-5 and not in the deciding set. From that moment on, in fact, there was no contest. Berrettini took off and nothing Kokkinakis could do against that all-muscle, all-heart rival.
He did not take it too badly, however, Nick Kyrgios’ close friend, so much so that as soon as he had the chance, he retaliated. When, a few hours later, Matteo posted videos and photos of the match on social media, the Australian reacted with two unequivocal and faux “venomous” emoticons: a middle finger and a laughing face. An ironic and sporting reaction, that of Thanasi, who at one point could do nothing but surrender to the Italian tennis player’s thirst for victory and revenge.