(ANSA) – ROME, JUN 10 – Matteo Berrettini fights for almost three and a half hours, but in the end he gives up in four sets – 6-3, 6-2, 6-7 (5/7), 7-5 – to the class superior of Novak Djokovic. In the semifinals at Roland Garros goes the number 1 in the world, who will be in front of Rafa Nadal. The Spaniard, holder of the trophy, beat Diego Schwartzman (6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-0) in four sets and 2h45 minutes of play, leaving an Argentine set after winning 36 in a row in Paris . The blue lost the first two while not disfiguring, so he reopened the challenge in the third thanks to the tiebreak, until he gave up in the fifth, when Djokovic had three match points and closed the match. 51 unforced errors by the Italian weighed against just 19 by the opponent. The first serving is up to Djokovic. Berrettini immediately earns a couple of break points thanks to the backhand response, but the # 1 is saved. And, in the fourth game, he is the one to snatch the Roman serve, climbing 3-1. Berrettini does not play badly and always brings Djokovic to the advantages in his turns. But that’s not enough and in 45 ‘he finds himself down 5-2. He keeps his serve, but Nole does the same and the set ends 6-3. Balanced the start of the second up to 2-2. But in the fifth game comes the second break of Djokovic who escapes 3-2 with the serve available. And then he snatches the service from Berrettini again, also taking advantage of yet another unforced error. With a couple of shots that brushed the lines, plus the sixth ace of the match, the 6-2 for the Serbian was served in just 36 minutes. The third set begins as the first two. When it’s his turn to serve Djokovic he is irrepressible, but Berrettini does not give up, he plays the best tennis of the match and remains attached to his opponent. And so we arrive at the tiebreak. That Berrettini wins 7-5, also thanks to two aces that bring his total to nine (in the end they will be 11). Djokovic’s certainties are cracked and in the opening of the fourth set he makes the first double fault. At 3-2 for the Serbian, around 23, the match is suspended. There is a curfew and the public must leave the Chatrier, albeit reluctantly. The players return to the field after a quarter of an hour, with the service to Berrettini. The equilibrium continues up to 5 all. Djokovic still holds the serve and then gets the break that launches him in the semifinals. In the family draw, the Greek Maria Sakkari and the Czech Barbora Krejcikova are the other two semifinalists of the women’s tournament at Roland Garros. Against the odds, the Hellenic has eliminated the title holder, the young Polish Iga Swiatek, n.9 in the world, winning in two sets (6-4, 6-4). The Czech instead defeated the 17 year old American Cori Gauff (7-6, 6-3). The other semifinal will see the Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and the Slovenian Tamara Zidansek opposing. For the first time in the Open era, none of the top 10 of the WTA rankings are involved in the semifinals of the second slam of the season. (HANDLE).
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