Shanghai
Berrettini’s body holds up in Shanghai win, Wawrinka also advances
Italian makes winning return after withdrawing in Tokyo last week.
October 03, 2024
2024 Getty Images
Matteo Berrettini collects his first ATP Masters 1000 win of the season in Shanghai Thursday.
By ATP Staff
Former Top 10 Italian Matteo Berrettini has set a second-round showdown with Holger Rune at the Rolex Shanghai Masters after edging Australian Christopher O’Connell in two tight sets in China on Thursday.
Berrettini clipped 33 winners, including 11 aces, according to Infosys ATP Stats, in a 7-6(9), 7-6(6) win over World No. 71 O’Connell to claim his first win of the season at ATP Masters 1000 level. The match lasted two hours and 13 minutes.
No. 45 in the PIF ATP Rankings, Berrettini said that he felt confident in his body after withdrawing in the Tokyo second round against Arthur Fils with an abdominal issue.
“I’m happy to be back here and healthy. I’ve never played him so didn’t know what to expect,” said Berrettini, who fought off two sets points in the first-set tie-break.
“Mentally it’s been tough… Too often I have been thinking about how to be healthy and it’s something I’ve grown a bit tired of. I’ve been working hard to be able to think as less as possible about this.
“It was one of the goals of the match. Not to think about my condition, just to enjoy the match, enjoy the atmosphere, which I did.”
Berrettini trails Rune 1-2 in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series. The Dane rallied from a set down in Cincinnati in August to claim their most recent meeting.
Another former Top 10 star, Stan Wawrinka, also moved on. The former World No. 3 clawed past surging Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 7-6(2), 7-6(6) in their first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting.
“It’s been a really tough year so far, but I’m not getting younger so I’m trying to keep pushing myself,” Wawrinka said in his on-court interview. “I’m happy with the match tonight. I think it was a really good level. I was playing really good, one of the best matches of the year for me.
“He’s such an aggressive player. It was great to be here, so much support here, so I’m enjoying my time in China.”
The Swiss hit 13 aces and saved all three break points he faced to advance after one hour and 49 minutes. Wawrinka will next face another player, 28th seed Flavio Cobolli, for the first time.
