Matteo wins in two sets, 7-6, 6-3. He’ll face Tien: “If I beat him, I’ll have passed a good test”

Matteo Berrettini sends a clear message: he’s ready for the Davis Cup. He was decisive in 2024, and he wants to be just as decisive in 2025. He confirms the positive vibes from his debut by reaching the quarterfinals in Metz (ATP 250) with a solid victory, 7-6 (5), 6-3, over Aleksandar Vukic. A match that wasn’t so straightforward on paper, against a solid opponent with a consistent serve, which the Italian managed just as he does on his best days. Powerful with his forehand and sharp in using his backhand slice to take the Australian out of rhythm, Matteo “only needed” to raise his level in the first-set tiebreak and secure a break in the second, aided significantly by a whopping 15 aces. He thus reaches the quarterfinals for the fifth time in 2025, for the second tournament in a row after Vienna, strongly positioning himself for the role of second singles player at the Davis Cup Finals in Bologna.

Matteo starts off strong: a break in the first game and an immediate feel for his forehand. Vukic, however, thrives on fast courts, also blessed with long limbs and a solid serve. He quickly finds the counter-break and forces Berrettini into a tiebreak. The former No. 6 in the ATP rankings even found himself down 5-3, but he leveraged his greater experience in these types of matches to raise his level when needed and, with a few lucky net shots favoring the Italian, strung together four consecutive points to take the first set. In the second set, the script was very similar, and until 4-3, both players dominated with their serves. Matteo saves a break point at 2-2 with an ace, then breaks serve in the eighth game by mixing backhands, returns, and slices. Closing out the set to love shortly after is a formality. A decisive victory that sends him to the quarterfinals against Learner Tien. They will play on Thursday, November 6, as the final match of the day, at approximately 8:15 p.m. “Tien is one of the best talents out there,” Berrettini said in his post-match interview, “he plays very well. I’ll be facing him for the first time; maybe the crowd will enjoy it. The surface is pretty fast; I didn’t play my best tennis today, but I raised my level when it mattered. If I beat Tien, I’ll have passed a great test, because he’s playing very well.”