Debut ok for Matteo Berrettini in the ATP 500 tournament in Halle. After the final lost in Stuttgart, the 28-year-old Italian returns to the field a day late (the match was postponed on Tuesday due to rain) and does not disappoint expectations. On the German grass the world no.65 imposes himself Alex Michelsen in two sets: 7-6 6-2. However, the American teenager creates more problems than expected for Matteo, who immediately gives up serve and is forced to chase in the first set. The Roman tennis player manages to limit errors, finds his opponent’s weak points and game after game overturns the inertia. To win the opening set he must go through the tie-break: he wins it 7 to 5, with a pass that Michelsen cannot return to the sender because he is so powerful and well directed with his feet. Then in the second set Berrettini is in full control, and with four consecutive games he puts an end to the 19-year-old’s tournament. On match point he even allows himself a film library shot. In the round of 16 the Italian will face another American: Marcos Gironwho tripped Andrey Rublev, a two-time finalist here.
