Matteo Berrettini and Rafael Nadal will face off in the Australian Open semi-final for the second time in their careers. Matteo and Rafa already played once in the 2019 US Open semi-final when the Spanish legend won in straight sets 7-6(6) 6-4 6-1.
In New York, Rafael Nadal was just too strong and Matteo was entirely inexperienced for playing on that kind of stage. In Melbourne, things are completely different as Berrettini is now a consolidated top10 player, and he has even managed to reach the Wimbledon final in 2021.
According to tennis legend Brad Gilbert, this is what Matteo Berrettini needs to do in order to defeat Nadal in Melbourne:
“His game is all based on surf and turf. That’s what wins it for him. If he’s going to win, he’s bombing serves, bombing first-ball forehands, taking control.
If Rafa gets on offense and can make him work, it’s trouble. That’s what he did at the US Open, he broke down the backhand. But if that guy is serving the way he can serve, he serves big. But you don’t know how much energy he’s expended.”
Berrettini at the Australian Open, ranking, and results in 2022
LWWWWWLLWW At the moment ranked no.7 (career-high), Matteo has an overall 6-2 match record in 2022. Matteo is now playing at the Australian Open where he toppled Brandon Nakashima 4-6 6-2 7-65 6-3, Stefan Kozlov 6-1 4-6 6-4 6-1, Carlos Alcaraz Garfia 6-2 7-63 4-6 2-6 7-65, Pablo Carreno-Busta 7-5 7-64 6-4 and Gael Monfils 6-4 6-4 3-6 3-6 6-2.
Matteo Berrettini will take on the world no.5 Rafael Nadal in the semifinal on Friday at 2:30 pm on Rod Laver Arena. The head to head is 1-0 for Nadal.
Matteo won 5 titles in his career: 3 on clay courts and 2 on grass courts. (See the list of his titles)
Nadal at the Australian Open, ranking, and results in 2022
Now ranked no.5, the Spaniard has achieved a composed 8-0 win-loss record in 2022. Rafael is competing at the Australian Open where he managed to beat Marcos Giron 6-1 6-4 6-2, Yannick Hanfmann 6-2 6-3 6-4, Karen Khachanov 6-3 6-2 3-6 6-1, Adrian Mannarino 7-614 6-2 6-2 and Denis Shapovalov 6-3 6-4 4-6 3-6 6-3.
Rafael Nadal will square off with the world no.7 Matteo Berrettini in the semifinal on Friday at 2:30 pm on Rod Laver Arena. Their actual head to head record is 1-0 for Nadal.
Nadal clinched 1 title in 2022 in Melbourne.
Rafael won 89 titles in his career: 22 on hard courts, 62 on clay courts, 1 on indoor courts and 4 on grass courts. (See the list of his titles)
Matteo Berrettini and Rafael Nadal played each other just once. Their current record is 1-0 for Nadal. When they played, Rafael Nadal won 7-6(6) 6-4 6-1 in the semifinal in New York (U.S. Open) in September 2019.
You can see them in action in the following highlights.
Matteo Berrettini and Rafael Nadal |
| Embed from Getty Images |
