Stefanos Tsitsipas has fought again from a set right down to beat Matteo Berrettini within the United Cup semi-final and preserve his ominous type heading into the Australian Open.
The first heavyweight males’s match of the summer season lived as much as the hype as world No.4 Tsitsipas prevailed 4-6 7-6 (7-2) 6-4 to maintain Greece alive at 2-1 of their tie with Italy.
Tsitsipas, who has by no means misplaced to Berrettini, has now received all 4 of his United Cup singles matches.
Even if Greece do not progress to the ultimate in opposition to the United States, he’ll enter his Melbourne Park marketing campaign excessive on confidence.
The 24-year-old is making an attempt to interrupt his grand slam duck this summer season and delighted in his resilience in opposition to Berrettini’s fierce serve, together with breaking the Italian at 3-3 within the decider.
“I had to start from returning a few balls of the serve which I was struggling with in the beginning but somehow I hung in there,” Tsitsipas instructed the Nine Network.
“I was waiting for my chances. He’s a big server, we all know it, he hits some big serves consistently.
“So it’s a must to settle for just a few and it’s a must to transfer on from that time, focus in your serve.
“I played a very good game on that game that I broke, I was able to play with a lot of intensity and I think my concentration peaked at that particular game.”
It was disappointing for Berrettini, whose serve appeared in good nick till it let him down within the second-set tiebreak and the deciding set.
Even Tsitsipas’ win may solely be a keep of execution for Greece’s hopes
Lowly ranked Despina Papamichail must pull off a dramatic upset over Lucia Bronzetti to pressure a deciding blended doubles rubber.
Berrettini broke Tsitsipas at 3-3 within the first set however required three set factors to take the higher hand.
Tsitsipas took the second set to a tiebreak, the place Berrettini, who had solely dropped one level on serve for the set, fell away.
The Greek star claimed a double mini break early, earned 4 set factors then closed out the set with an ace.
Tsitsipas saved one break level when trailing 2-3 within the decider and transformed the primary of two break factors within the subsequent recreation.
Serving for the match, Tsitsipas earned two match factors and coolly dispatched the primary to finish his comeback
