INDIAN WELLS (USA) (ITALPRESS) – Fatigue, sweat and pride. And a surreal ending, almost from movies, with smiles on the titles. A winning debut for Matteo Berrettini in the “BNP Paribas Open”, the first Masters 1000 of the season (prices 9.415.725 dollars) on the hard stage of Indian Wells, in the Californian desert.
On the Italian night, the 29-year-old Roman, number 66 Atp, beaten to the 4-6 7-5 7-5, after more than two hours and three quarters of struggle, the French mancino Adrian Mannarino, number 48 of the ranking. After the straight line with which he closed the game at the first match-point Berrettini fell on the sorrowing field and sat there for about five minutes while the Atp supervisor and the physiotherapist ascertained his conditions. “I’m really proud of myself. I struggled really hard, until the last point – said Berrettini in the interview in the field –. At the beginning of the third set, I started to feel some cramps. From the beginning I was a little surprised, but then I remembered that until three days ago I was influenced, so I said: ‘Ok, it’s normal’. I tried to adapt to the situation. I didn’t start the game well, he did, but I managed to make it turn.”.
“In this tournament then the conditions change a lot between day and evening: once the sun has gone down I managed to see even a little better – says Berrettini again – I am glad because I managed to find the way to fight: I served well and I hit the ball well. I’m a little tired but satisfied: I’ve really put everything in the field.” Friday to the second round Berrettini will have to see with the German Alexander Zverev, number 4 of the ranking and seeding: the 28-year-old of Hamburg is in advantage for 4-3 in the balance of direct comparisons with the blue, but the blue won the last two challenges, played in the third round of Wimbledon 2023 and in the second round of the Masters 1000 of Monte-Carlo 2025.
Nothing to do for Mattia Bellucci (n.94), who surrendered in two sets to Canadian Gabriel Diallo (n.38) for 7-6(5) 6-4 in 2 hours and 13 minutes of play. It will be the Czech Dalibor Svrcina the first opponent of Jannik Sinner, who will make his entrance directly to the second round: the 23-year-old Czech number 109 of the world, arrived from the qualifying, defeated James Duckworth for 6-2 6-4. No record between the two.
Marton Fucsovics and Miomir Kecmanovic will be opposed in the second round to Lorenzo Musetti and Flavio Cobolli. Hungarian, number 56 Atp, defeated 7-5 6-3 Christopher O’Connell and will face for the first time in his career the 23-year-old carrarino, fifth favorite of the board and byes in the first round. Kecmanovic, number 58 of the ranking, was ahead 6-3 1-0 when Daniel Altmaier was forced to retire. In balance the previous ones with Cobolli, head of series number 15, both on the fast: success of the Serbian in 2022 in Naples, rematch of the blue in the semifinal of Acapulco last Saturday.
Among other first-round results, Denis Shapovalov eliminates Stefanos Tsitsipas for 6-2 3-6 6-4, ahead Joao Fonseca (7-6 6-4 on Collignon) and the eternal Monfils (6-3 6-4 on Galarneau).
-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).
