Matteo Berrettini, no change, it’s business as usual again: it seems like a twist of fate.
He risked having to go through the qualifiers, but the sudden withdrawal of two tennis players already in the main draw has opened wide, in fact, the doors of the main draw for him. Matteo Berrettini will not have to scramble, then, to play at the Atp 500 in Tokyo, scheduled from tomorrow, September 25, to Tuesday, October 1: a place, now secure, is rightfully his.
The Roman flew to Japan several days ago and we have already seen him, thanks to the content posted on social networks, training relentlessly. The moment is certainly positive, as he is back from three victories of heart and head, all collected in the group stage that took place in Bologna. Victories that will have been as good for his spirits as spending a few days in the company of his compatriots, including Jannik Sinner, who although he has been touch and go has been invaluable to the 2021 Wimbledon finalist.
Matteo will have to focus, now, before the time for the Malaga Finals rolls around, on his individual course, if only to end the season in the best possible way. And the hope, at this point, is that he will not be discouraged by the outcome of the main draw for the main draw, which has given him some not-so-welcome surprises.
Berrettini, the music changes but not the players: still him
His path to the Ariake Colosseum will begin with a challenge against a qualifier, and it is not ruled out that Berrettini could meet one of Mattia Bellucci or Luca Nardi (at the time of going online, the two tennis players have not yet played the decisive matches, ed.).
After this contest, which could possibly turn into a derby, the “trouble” would begin. A month after their face-off at Flushing Meadows, a new clash with the American who, at the Us Open, tried to steal the title from Sinner looms on the horizon. Yes, Berrettini, again assuming everything goes smoothly, could meet Taylor Fritz again, only this time in the round of 16 in Tokyo. Here we go again, to make a long story short.
A thrilling eighth, if you will, considering that the star player is experiencing, so it seems, the highest moment of his career. He, too, in Japan will try to give his best and confirm the positive trend of recent weeks. But who knows, in this case, Matteo may not be able to contain Fritz’s fury.