Tennis Atp Cup: De Minaur Challenge Caps

The 2022 of tennis begins with the ATP Cup. There is also Italy: the team made up of Matteo Berrettini, Jannik Sinner, Lorenzo Sonego, Fabio Fognini and Simone Bolelli has been included in group B together with Australia (host , played in Sydney), Russia and France. On Sunday 2 January, Jannik Sinner and Matteo Berrettini will take the field in singles, respectively against James Duckworth and Alex de Minaur. The challenge between Berrettini and De Minaur, in particular, brings with it several reasons of interest.

THE RESULTS

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First of all, there is great anticipation in seeing Matteo on the field again after the sports drama of his retirement from the ATP Finals in Turin. It was November 14 when Vincenzo Santopadre’s pupil left the field during the match against Sasha Zverev (future champion) due to abdominal problems. Unhappy conclusion of an extraordinary year for Berrettini, winner in Belgrade and Queen’s, in addition to the final played at Wimbledon. To challenge the number 7 in the world there will be De Minaur, 34th in the ATP ranking: the Australian ended 2021 playing in the Davis Cup, with the victory against Fucsovics after the defeats against Cilic and Mektic. After a good first part of the season – victory in Antalya and on Eastbourne grass, in the final against Lorenzo Sonego -, from August onwards De Minaur disappointed on hard courts.

PREVIOUS

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Berrettini and De Minaur met only once at the ATP level. Match dated 19 June 2021, in the semifinal at Queen’s: victory in two sets (6-4 6-4) for the Italian, who then got the better of Cameron Norrie in the final, winning the trophy. A challenge at Challenger level was also played between the two, on the Segovia cement in 2017: 7-6 7-5 in the semifinals for the Australian, then defeated by Jaume Munar in the final. A lifetime has passed since that match, Queen’s is a more reliable precedent. But what will be the real conditions of Matteo Berrettini? All that remains is to wait to see him on the pitch: match scheduled for the Italian morning, after the match between Sinner and Duckworth.