London: For the first time in the history of Wimbledon, Italy is in the men's singles final. Matteo Berrettini struggled for words in court as he attempted to contemplate what he had achieved. At first, the valiant Hubert Herkás was exhausted and relieved by a 6-3, 6-0, 6-7(3), 6-4 victory in four sets. Then there was emotional significance both at the individual and national level.
Berrettini's journey to the final means Sunday begins a crucial day for Italian sport, with its men's football team competing in the Euro 2020 final against England later in the day.
"It's something no one expected in tennis," Berrettini said on Friday. "And then in football, we didn't qualify for the 2018 World Cup, but after that, the effort they put in, they deserve this final."
It was too much of a match for Harkaz, who defeated Daniil Medvedev in five sets and Roger Federer 6-3, 7-6(4), 6-0 to reach the semi-finals, a career in itself. - Increasing achievement. But the 25-year-old Berrettini controlled the pace of the match with his deadly serve, and there was enough doubt on center court on Friday whether the men's singles final would go as expected on Sunday, with multiple coronations. Novak Djokovic had even started before the championship.
Berrettini was brilliant on center court. As he tried to pick where things went well for him, his memory goes back to his first match on this famous patch of grass in July 2019 against Federer. Things did not go according to plan that day as he lost in three sets. . Berrettini should have displayed the same clout in Friday's match to advance fast in straight sets, but instead needed just one more set to beat Harkasz, who never managed to reduce his serve. Didn't succeed.
The Italian finished with 22 aces - the fourth time this fortnight he has hit more than 20 aces in a match - with another 50 without a return. He won a remarkable 86% on his first serve, slamming one down at 137 mph. That's enough to give Djokovic a headache to enter the final.
He was also disciplined, rationing himself for just 18 unforced errors, but then you would miss him in the blink of an eye, causing all sorts of trouble to Harkaz. He hit 24 victors on the forehand side, giving Harkaz 18 unforced errors on that side. It was a commanding performance.
The deciding spell came in the middle of the first set, as Berrettini broke Harkaz to break 4–3, and then went on a remarkable run, winning 11 straight games, taking the second set as well. He was dancing around the center court, and even when the ball kissed the top of the net, it'd drop neatly to the eventual winner. Harkaz juggled a few returns—one that soared so far into the sky that it must have made astronaut Tim Peake proud as he gazed from the Royal Box—and the third set looked like it would be a formality for Berrettini.
But as Harkaz proved at Wimbledon, his defensive game reigns supreme. He rediscovered his serve and returned in the third set to force a tiebreak. There he dominated proceedings, receiving three mini-breaks, but Berrettini broke back to take control again in the first game of the fourth set. In that break in the middle of the set he told himself that he "felt better and stronger" than Harkaz - though don't mistake it for arrogance. She has instilled just enough confidence in herself that she has won 23 of her last 25 matches on grass, including the pre-Wimbledon queen title. Friday's win means he is now a step ahead of the 2019 US Open, when he was knocked out by Rafael Nadal in the last four.
The work he has done with his longtime coach Vincenzo Santopadre on his mental and physical strength since the age of 14 has now paid off. As of recent, he is the most influential player in the ATP on grass, and also has the ability to close the lead - he has a 19-0 record in matches where he has taken the first two sets.
"I think I absolutely deserve to be here, and I want to enjoy my first final," Berrettini said. "It's a really incredible feeling."
Italian tennis has been around for a long time.
Berrettini stands here on the shoulders of Italian stalwarts and has cited the influence of Flavia Pennetta, Sara Errani, Roberta Vinci and Francesca Schiavone. His exploits made him wonder what was possible in the game, but reaching the final of Wimbledon was a step too far before.
He later said, "I never dreamed of [getting to the final] because it was too much."
But the feat brings an end to Italian men's tennis' 45-year wait in Grand Slam finals - the last was Adriano Panetta at the 1976 French Open. Berrettini uses Panata as an informal advisor, and the two speak after his victory over Felix Auger-Aliassim. The achievement means all eyes in the sporting world will be on Italy this weekend as it seeks to rewrite the script and disrupt the sense of predestination behind both Euro 2020 and Wimbledon.
Around the center court were some reminders of the Euro 2020 final on Sunday. Berrettini has seen Azurri in players' bio-bubbles in central London and has drawn inspiration from the adventures of Roberto Mancini's men. Then, there were occasional attempts at "Three Lions", the biennial anthem of England football, while David Beckham was in a pristine cream suit at the Royal Box. Berrettini now has a chance to strike the first blow for the Italian game on Sunday, with the Euro 2020 final that evening.
"For Italians in general, this is going to be a tough Sunday," Berrettini said. "We deserve it; it's going to be a great day of sport. With football, I hope we are now one of the biggest sports in Italy. I would tell people in Italy to buy a nice TV, As it's going to be a big Sunday for us. Obviously I'll think of myself first, and then if I get a chance, I'll see them."
Berrettini needed a few hours to understand what he had achieved on Friday afternoon. He will continue to hone his preparations for Sunday's final, but he will go on knowing he has the strength and potential to deliver a Grand Slam singles title to Italian men's tennis for the first time in 45 years.
"I never dreamed about this because it was too much"
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 9, 2021
You're a #Wimbledon finalist, @MattBerrettini - soak it up 😊 pic.twitter.com/SQ9kad2WDN