Number seven seed Matteo Berrettini defied the bookies to beat Spain’s rising star Carlos Alcaraz at the Australian Open.
Rod Laver Arena was treated to a stunning five sets of tennis as Berrettini came through 6-2, 7-6 (7-3), 4-6, 2-6, 7-6 (10-5).
After 4 hours and 10 minutes, the Italian goes on to face Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta in round four.
A sublime lob from Alcaraz at 2-1 up in the first set, showcased exactly what Berrettini would be up against.
This was arguably more of a fourth-round or quarter final match-up, considering the high calibre of both players.
But at 2-2, last year’s Wimbledon finalist turned the screw and broke the El Palmar native gobbled up his first break point and consolidated the break to move 4-2 up.
Berrettini was flying as he snatched the double break, winning five consecutive games to tie up the first set 6-2.
The Spanish number four (behind Rafa Nadal, Roberto Bautista Agut and Carreno Busta) began the second set nervously as he was clinically broken by the 25-year-old Italian.
Berrettini soon forged a 4-2 lead but was pegged back by the Spaniard who won three consecutive games to move 5-4 up.
Both players served impeccably taking the second set to a tie-break where Berrettini produced one of the shots of the match at 3-1 up, a thundering backhand winner down the line, leaving Alcaraz stranded.
Four set points down Alcaraz ripped a stunning forehand winner but it wasn’t enough as Berrettini nicked the set 7-3.
All of a sudden, momentum shifted in the third set as Alcaraz produced some sublime tennis, breaking in game nine and taking the third set 6-4.
At 2-1 down, it was Alcaraz’s turn to win five successive games as he secured the double break, with the wind in his sails, he had stormed back from two sets down to level the match.
The fifth and final set went on serve, but the world number seven had just enough in the tank to win the super tie-break 10-5, and see off the sleeveless Nadal protégé in a thriller.
After the match, Berrettini was full of praise for the 18-year-old.
“Unbelievable, when I was 18, I didn’t even have my first ATP point. He’s impressive and can only improve playing matches like this,” he said.
“He’s shown everybody his potential, so congrats to him.”
Legends of the sport Mats Wilander, a seven-time Grand Slam champion and Eurosport commentator Alex Corretja predicted big things from the Spanish prodigy.
Wilander said: “He’s unbelievable in pretty much every department. Physically he’s so strong already. He’s so fast on the court.
“Emotionally he’s as excited as Rafael Nadal, and I really think this kid is going to be number one in the world because he won’t stop until he’s at the top of his game.”
Corretja added: “Alcaraz is showing you can be young, but you can be brave. You can show the world you can be humble but at the same time you can be ambitious,” he said.
“He works crazy to become the best in the world, and as Mats said, he wants to be the number one in the world, and I honestly believe he will achieve it. He will win Majors.”
