Matteo Berrettini has taken the opening set of his Mutua Madrid Open final against Alexander Zverev 7-6(8).
The eighth seed, who saved a set point at 6/7 in the tie-break, fired 11 forehand winners to clinch the first set in 69 minutes. Berrettini is aiming to join 2019 Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters champion Fabio Fognini as only the second Italian to lift an ATP Masters 1000 trophy.
After saving an early break point with a drop shot, Berrettini used the tactic once more at 3-3 to earn his first two break points of the match and he converted his second opportunity with a deep forehand return.
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Despite dropping serve in the next game and letting a 5/0 lead slip through his hands in the tie-break, Berrettini kept his composure. Zverev struck a costly double fault at 8/8 and the Italian capitalised on the next point with a powerful serve out wide to clinch the set.
After spending two months out of action due to an abdominal injury he sustained at the Australian Open, Berrettini has quickly reached peak form on the European clay. The Rome-born star has won eight consecutive matches since losing his return match at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters. Berrettini, who won the Serbia Open in Belgrade last month, is aiming to level his ATP Head2Head series against Zverev at 2-2.
Zverev is attempting to lift his second Madrid title, after winning the trophy in 2018 without dropping his serve. The German is appearing in his eighth Masters 1000 final (3-4).
from Tennis - ATP World Tour https://ift.tt/3ewSn1D
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