Two-time Stuttgart champion Matteo Berrettini reaches third career final at the BOSS Open after outlasting compatriot Lorenzo Musetti in straight sets and meets Briton Jack Draper, who put out American Brandon Nakashima in Sunday’s championship match.
Italian Matteo Berrettini is through to the Stuttgart Open final after outlasting fifth seed Lorenzo Musetti 6-4, 6-0 in just 66 minutes at the Tennis Club Weissenhof on Saturday.
Courtside, the Roman commented: “When you win like this, it’s better. You burn less energy.”
“I think I played enough during the week. So today, it was really good to play for an hour and six minutes.”
In his first appearance at tour level since April, due to a series of injuries, the 28-year-old went the distance at the tournament that opens the grass-court swing, advancing to the final for the third time in his career.
The two-time Stuttgart champion has dropped only a set on his way to the championship match on Sunday when he takes on sixth seed Jack Draper.
The Brit, 22, eased past unseeded Brandon Nakashima with a 6-3, 6-3 victory in the semifinals without facing a lone break point throughout the contest.
Previously, Draper overpowered defending champion Frances Tiafoe, earning a 5-7, 6-4, 7-6(1) win, setting a clash with Nakashima.
The world No. 40 performance on the grass courts has been impressive, leading the young British talent to achieve his second final this season, the first on the surface, and the third on an ATP 250 level in his entire career.
On Sunday, the Sutton native will bid to capture his maiden ATP title against an opponent who has captured four of his eight crowns on grass.
In 2021, the former world No. 6 thrived at The Championships, finishing a Wimbledon runner-up, falling to former world number one Novak Djokovic in four sets.
Furthermore, he won the prestigious Cinch Championships twice (2021-2022), joining an elite group of players who have shone brightly at the Queens Club grass courts in London.
Berrettini and Draper have never met before on Tour.
The Italian, who owns a big serve, spoke about his ultimate adversary, outlining: “We never even practiced together, so I hope my coach has studied him well.”
Adding: “He has been serving brilliantly, so it will be a match of serving tomorrow. Good luck to Jack, but I will try to beat him.”
