Following an epic first round at Wimbledon, Matteo Berrettini came through three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka in four edgy sets, advancing to the second round on Tuesday night.
Former world No. 6 Matteo Berrettini recorded a 6-7(7), 7-6(16), 7-6(7), 7-6(5) comeback win, prevailing over Swiss legend Stan Wawrinka in a four-hour, 20-minute world-class contest at the All England Club.
Pushed to the limit by the former world No. 3 in a brilliant match staged on Court 1, the Italian earned his ticket to the second round at Wimbledon in relentless fashion.
He is scheduled to meet 20th seed Arthur Fils, who earlier knocked out Belgian Raphael Collignon in three sets.
The level of tennis showcased by both men on court stole the spotlight from the outset; their resilience, tenacity, and love for the sport moved the crowd, an encounter for the history books.
Each player contributed to building a spicy recipe with fresh ingredients from their own backyard.
The lengthy baseline exchanges were jaw-dropping because their shotmaking was on another level tonight.
The 30-year-old served with precision, so did his rival, but his ferocious ball-striking made his opponent work hard, and his feel at the net pushed him forward, winning 83 percent of his approaches.
On the other side of the net, Wawrinka rolled back the years with his exquisite one-handed backhand, while his return game stood as sharp as a knife, making a huge difference.
Overall, the world No. 51 fired 66 winners to 51 unforced errors, converted one of six break points, and won 86 percent of the points on his first serve.
A Legend Bids Farewell to the Cathedral of Tennis
Competing in his final season as a professional tennis player, Wawrinka drew his last appearance at SW19 to a close in style, admired and respected by fans and opponents alike.
“He’s a legend, and he showed it today,” the Roman native outlined in his on-court interview. “Unbelievable player, unbelievable competitor. I remember in 2014, I was playing the juniors here and I snuck into Centre Court; he was playing against Roger [Federer].
"It was a big honour to play against him here, on Court 1. I feel so honoured, so grateful.”
Playing under a closed roof, they brought every set into a tiebreak (the second went to 34 points to Berrettini 18-16), as neither player gave breathing room to the other with only small margins to separate them.
The 16-time ATP titleholder shared a few words when interviewed on court as part of his farewell to the grass-court Slam.
With tears in his eyes, the 41-year-old said: “I don't want to retire, but I know it's time for me to stop. It’s one of the reasons I kept playing for so long, to enjoy those moments like tonight. It's so much emotion...
Despite the brutal physical effort, he once again let his passion for the sport speak louder than age, leaving it all on the court.
“I pushed it to my own limit tonight. It was a great fight. Matteo is a good friend. He’s a great guy. He deserved to win, so congrats," he added.
Berrettini, whose career has been disrupted by a series of injuries over the years, returned to Wimbledon, where he finished as a runner-up in 2021.
The Championships is the first tournament he is contesting since a hip issue forced him to retire from his Roland-Garros quarterfinal in the second set.
“Tonight, again, was a great fight. “It's never easy to say goodbye to something that you love so much," Wawrinka remarked.
“I've always been passionate about the game, always enjoyed that. I'm grateful, and I would like to thank everybody because I had the chance, this opportunity to play one last time here. I couldn’t have dreamed of a better goodbye."