By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Tuesday, April 8, 2025
Matteo Berrettini toppled top-seeded Alexander Zverev 2-6, 6-3, 7-5, scoring the first Top 2 victory of his career in Monte-Carlo.
Photo credit: Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters Facebook
Surround sound came to Monte-Carlo today.
Fervent fans chanted "Matteo! Matteo!” late in the final set.
A fired-up Matteo Berrettini answered the house call.
Amping his aggression, Berrettini toppled top-seeded Alexander Zverev 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 in a stirring Monte-Carlo milestone triumph.
Carrying an ignominious 0-8 record vs. Top 2 opponents onto the red clay, Berrettini scored the biggest win of his career–by ranking—breaking World No. 2 Zverev twice in his last three service games inciting roars from Italian fans to punctuate points.
"It's so important for us, for all the Italians. I think it's special," Berrettini told the media in Monte-Carlo of the loud crowd support. "It definitely helped me when, you know, in some moments I also tried to make them even louder.
"You know, like it gives you energy, especially when you're tired. So definitely thanks to them and thanks to their support and support of my team, it was one of the big reasons why I was able to turn the match around."
The 34th-ranked Berrettini is the first Italian man to defeat a Top-2 player on clay since Davis Cup teammate Lorenzo Musetti defeated No. 1 Novak Djokovic in the 2023 Monte-Carlo third round.
While Berrettini has been an imposing player on hard court and grass, he’s also reinforced his reputation as a dangerous threat on dirt. Berrettini is now 17-1 on clay since the start of 2024 season, including titles in Marrakech, Gstaad and Kitzbuhel last year. His lone dirt loss in that span came to Miomir Kecmanovic in the 2024 Monte-Carlo first round.
A physical battle saw the former Grand Slam finalists go toe-to-toe in a pulsating 48-shot rally in the 11th game of the deciding set. That crackling baseline exchange brought fans to their feet in exhilaration and left Zverev bending over at the waist in exhaustion.
That pivotal point gave Berrettini break point and he broke for 6-5 on a Zverev error before serving it out in his second attempt.
Italian superstars could collide in round three. If Musetti beats Jiri Lehecka, he will face Berrettini for a quarterfinal spot.
Today, Berrettini credited the crowd for delivering a rousing wake-up call after Zverev blitzed through the opening set on the strength of a couple of service breaks.
“[The crowd chanted] to make me wake up,” Berrettini told Tennis Channel’s Prakash Amritraj afterward. “In the first set I was asleep. The support was unbelievable…. “These are the matches you’ve been dreaming about when you were a kid, right?
“In the third set, I served for the match and then that crazy rally. I’m really happy the way I managed everything and I‘m really proud of the work I’ve put in.”
Former Olympic gold-medal champion Zverev fought into his third Grand Slam final at the Australian Open in January. But he’s suffered from indecision and indifferent results posting a 6-6 record since Melbourne to drop to 14-7 on the season.
Ultimately, Zverev said his level dropped dramatically over the final two sets.
"I played a great first set, and once I got broken in the second set I play ten levels down," Zverev said. "My ball is much slower.
"I stop hitting the ball. The same story the last few months. Nothing changes. So it's me who lost the match, once again."
Down a set, Berrettini began blasting his forehand with menacing intent. The Italian broke for a 4-2 second-set lead and then won eight of his next nine points on serve to snatch the second set and force a decider.
When Berrettini bolted a backhand pass Zverev could not handle, he had the break and a 4-3 lead. Berrettini saved break point to back up the break for 5-3.
Serving for the match at 5-4, the former Wimbledon finalist tightened up and produced his poorest serve game of the set. Berrettini netted a forehand off his back foot as Zverev broke back to level at 5-all.
A year ago, that severe stumble may have been fatal for a 154th-ranked Berrettini.
Today, Berrettini rose up with self belief. Digging in with defiance, Berrettini refused to miss in that grueling 48-shot rally for break point. A sharp slice backhand provoked another error as Berrettini broke again for 6-5.
Fighting and forgiving were essential elements to this upset.
“I forgive myself in these moments [after losing the break],” Berrettini said. “Easiest thing that comes to your mind is: How did you do that?
“You had a chance to close it out and you missed it. The only things that's gonna happen you gonna go down and probably lose.
“I just kept doing what got me to that point: being aggressive, fighting. I just kept going and that’s why I said I’m really proud. Because you could say I’m screwed now. But I did not do that and that was the key. I’m trying to be my own psychologist.”
That internal positive pep talk proved to be a remedy.
The 28-year-old Berrettini rallied from 15-30 down in the 12th game drawing a floated forehand for match point.
When Zverev netted a backhand, Berrettini thrust his arms in the air and broke into a wide smile.
This breakthrough win comes nearly two months after Berrettini tattooed his forehand and shattered self-doubt, shocking Novak Djokovic 7-6(4), 6-2 in a first-rate Doha first-round performance that spoiled the Serbian’s comeback in February.
After battling injury and apathy, Berrettini says he’s jumping with joy to be back playing in big matches on Masters 1000 stages.
“I found the joy of playing tennis again,” Berrettini said. “I lost it a little bit in the past due to all the injuries and bad things that were happening…
“It became tough to do [compete], but I found a way. I’m really happy that I did. It doesn’t matter the rankings, the wins, as long as you find the joy in this great job we have. That’s what I was telling myself out here: Enjoy yourself because you deserve it.”