Google News 'Novak Djokovic and Matteo Berrettini should play open match, but..,' says Corretja
by JOVICA ILIC | VIEW 2571
Novak Djokovic and Matteo Berrettini will face each other at the third straight Major tournament in New York on Wednesday. Novak ousted Matteo at Roland Garros and Wimbledon, and he wants to beat the Italian for the fourth consecutive time and remain on a course for a calendar Grand Slam.
Djokovic and Berrettini have played on the same level as at Wimbledon in the opening four rounds at the Us Open, still reaching the quarter-final clash. Corretja believes it should be a tight battle, with Novak as the favorite if he raises his level in the encounter's closing stages.
Djokovic beat Berrettini in four sets at Roland Garros after a titanic battle in the third and four, and they arranged the Wimbledon final meeting a month later. Novak beat the first-time Major finalist 6-7, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 in three hours and 24 minutes for his 20thj Major crown and a massive milestone ahead of the US Open.
Novak got broken twice while he was already in front and stole 40% of the return points, turning them into six breaks from 15 chances. Djokovic had 31 winners and 21 unforced errors and played better when it mattered the most to secure the sixth Wimbledon crown and the third in a row since 2018.
The Serb raced into a 5-2 advantage in the opening set before the Italian shifted into a higher gear, saving a set point on serve in the eighth game and pulling the break back. With momentum on his side, Berrettini grabbed the tie break 7-4 with two mini-breaks and stole the opener in 70 minutes.
Novak Djokovic and Matteo Berrettini will batlle for the semi-final spot in New York.
Starting all over, Novak raced into a 5-1 lead in set number two, controlling the pace and serving for it at 5-2. Berrettini pulled one break back to extend the action, rattling off three straight games before Djokovic held at love at 5-4 with a service winner to wrap up the set and level the overall score.
Both players claimed 28 points in the third set, and Novak took those important ones to win it 6-4 with a single break in game three. The Italian hit a double fault at 3-3 in the fourth set, and there was no way back from there, as Novak seized the third match point in game nine to seal the deal and celebrate his 20th Major title at 34.
"Berrettini plays better on hard court than on grass because he has more time to settle and hit a ball that bounces higher. His forehand is very dangerous, and he also moves well. Novak and Matteo are not on their level from Wimbledon, and I see an open match, although Novak should raise his game in comparison to the previous rounds.