By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Friday June 17, 2022
Matteo Berrettini is as dominant as they come on the grass. The Italian continued his progress on his favorite surface on Friday as he eased past Americvan Tommy Paul on Friday at Queen’s Club, notching a 6-4, 6-2 victory that saw him drop just 12 points on serve.
It's pretty much par for the course for the 26-year-old. The Italian, last year’s Wimbledon runner-up, has now won 29 of his last 32 matches on grass, dating back to the start of 2019.
Only Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and David Goffin have defeated him in that tremendous span, a period in which Berrettini has established himself as one of the premier grass-court players in the sport.
He’s done nothing but back it up in 2022. The World No.10 won the title at Stuttgart, where he has never lost a match, last week, and this week he has powered into the semifinals in his title defense at Queen’s Club.
Berrettini rallied from 4-1 down in the opening set against Paul, winning 11 of the final 13 games to book his spot in the semis.
“Today was very tough to play,” Berrettini said on court. “It was very windy and hot; I made some mistakes but I was there. I fought through and I feel my game was getting higher and higher.”
Berrettini will face Botic Van de Zandschulp on Saturday at Queen’s. The 26-year-old Dutchman entered the week with just three ATP matches on grass to his name, but he has added three victories – over Paul Jubb, Grigor Dimitrov and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina – to his tally.
Van de Zandschulp, now ranked at a career-high 29, is 2-3 against the Top-10 in 2022.
In his only previous meeting with Berrettini he lost in straight sets, last year in the second round at Wimbledon, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6(4).
Van de Zandschulp is the first Dutchman to reach the semifinals in London since 2002, and has put up a career-best 22 wins in 2022.