As three years ago in the quarter-finals of the US Open, the Italian defeated the Frenchman in five sets, in Melbourne, this time (6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 3- 6, 6-2).
As in 2016, the adventure at the Australian Open stops at the quarter-final stage for Gaël Monfils. The 35-year-old will not experience a third Major semi-final after Roland-Garros 2008 and the US Open 2016. This is Monfils’ third defeat in three matches against the Italian. And this time, again, as in New York, three years ago, the Parisian can harbor regrets, with a defeat in five rounds against the Italian. The French number one has however jostled Berrettini, but not to the point of succeeding in a comeback. He confirmed a sad statistic. During his long career, he won only two Grand Slam matches, trailing two sets to zero… And for the 8th time in his career, Gaël Monfils pushed his opponent into a 5th set after conceding the first two sets. His record is now 6 wins and two losses…
To climb into the quarters, the Parisian had not lost a single set. But Matteo Berrettini is another client than Frederico Coria, Alexander Bublik, Cristian Garin and Miomir Kecmanovic. The Italian who had left feathers in the previous rounds – especially during a sacred showdown against the prodigy Carlos Alcaraz – succeeded, unfortunately for the Frenchman, in his most accomplished match of the tournament, despite and ups and downs .
7and world player was the first to break in this match in the fifth game of the first set. The forehand of the French outgoing in length. Serene on his services, the Italian had to dismiss a break point when concluding 6-4 the first act. After a long game of 20 minutes where he repelled three break points, Berrettini equalized at 2 games everywhere, before breaking his opponent again in the seventh game of the second set. And despite an average first serve percentage (48% in the second set), the seeded 7 held on on her serves to complete the second set (6-4). Back to the wall, the French number one, until then unrealistic on his break opportunities (0 out of 6), took the opposing service in the sixth game of the third set. Well helped, it is true, by his adversary. The Italian committing his first double fault of the match to offer the break to the tricolor. Monfils, reinvigorated, released, was solid on his face-off to win the third set with a last forehand winner (6-3).
The tide was starting to turn and the dynamic seemed to have changed sides. Berrettini, calling on the physiotherapist and no longer finding solutions in the exchanges from the baseline. Now very strong from the baseline, the 20and world even offered a fourth set entry break point. But, solid in the service, the Italian knew how to get out of it. Not for a long time. Monfils, now sharper than his opponent, stealing the opposing serve with a long-line forehand missile that snagged the baseline to lead 3-2 in the fourth set. On the back foot, the student of Vincenzo Santopadre, less and less lucid and more and more under the pressure of the Monf ‘, once again conceded his service at 3-5 on the fifth set point of the Frenchman (3 -6). The number one tricolor sticking to two sets everywhere (6-3).
At the end of the fourth set, the Italian regained energy and intensity at the start of the fifth round. And Monfils, suddenly less precise, made mistakes in the forehand and “offered” a first break to his opponent and then another. Berrettini, metamorphosed and released again, broke away 4-0, knocking out the Monf. The Italian completing the final set 6-2. Finalist of the last Wimbledon, the Roman has the opportunity to play a second Grand Slam final. He will have to dismiss the stainless Rafael Nadal, who will play his seventh semi-final in Melbourne, after he too led 2 sets zero and had to fight until the 5th set.