Jannik Sinner had a really tough time against Matteo Berrettini at the 2024 Wimbledon Championships, and he praised him heavily after their close match.
Berrettini, of course, is one of the best players on the ATP Tour on grass, with a long history of really strong results on the surface. His best result at Wimbledon came in 2021 when the Italian made it to the final but ultimately lost to Novak Djokovic.
Sinner never made the Wimbledon final, but he was one match away last year when Djokovic beat him in the semi-final. He might make it this year, but to get there, the Italian must win a few more matches.
The most recent match he won was against Berrettini, who put up a really strong showing against the world number one. Sinner won the match in four sets but had to go to the tie-break in each set he won.
The one set he lost was a 6-2 win for Berrettini, and he also had a break in the fourth set, so it was not a surprise that Sinner had only good words for his Davis Cup teammate after the match, as he really pushed him.
“Matteo is such an incredible and server on grass. The small details can make the difference. Happy to see him back playing at this level again. Hoping to see him around as much as we can.”
“It was a tough match. We both played really well. He was serving very very well. Also me, especially the first two sets. Then I made a couple mistakes at the start of the 3rd set. His confidence started to grow more.”
Ultimately, when it mattered the most, Sinner was able to find the necessary level because winning three close tie-breaks doesn’t happen by chance.
“Overall it was a good match from both sides. Happy to close it out in 4. Let’s see what’s coming in the next round.”
It was a marvelous display of calmness under pressure. After the match, though, Sinner praised his compatriot for his level and wished him good luck for the rest of the season.
“We started the match with a smile and we finished with a smile. At the end of the meeting I wished him good luck for the season. If he continues to play like this, we know he will return to the top again.”
