Lorenzo Sonego ended defending champion Matteo Berrettini’s unbeaten streak with a 6-1 6-2 win in the opening round at the BOSS OPEN in Stuttgart.
Sonego avenged his defeat in the quarter final against Berrettini at last year’s edition of the German grass tournament.
Sonego saved all six points he faced to clinch his first top 30 win on grass. The Italian player has improved his win-loss record to 16-14. Berrettini won two editions of the Stuttgart tournament.
Sonego earned his first break in the second game and saved two break-back points to hold serve in the third game for 3-0. Sonego broke for the second game in the sixth games to seal the first set 6-1. Sonego broke twice in the second and fourth games and saved three break points in the sixth game coming back from 0-40 down. Sonego served out the win on his second match point.
Sonego will face either David Altmeier or Christopher O’Connell in the second round.
“It’s tough. I am not happy because Matteo is my best friend on Tour and it’s to see him like that. I hope the best for him in the next tournament”, said Sonego.
Lorenzo Musetti beat Borna Gojo 7-6 (7-4) 6-3. The first set went on serve with no breaks of serve en route to the tie-break. Gojo dropped just five points in six service games, while Musetti faced two break points in the fourth game and one in the 10thgame. Musetti earned the first mini-break on the fifth game to take a 3-2 lead and closed out the tie-break on his fisrt set point 7-4.
Musetti saved a break point in the first game of the second set. The Italian player converted his second break point in the fourth game after a double fault from Gojo to take a 3-1 lead and saved a break point in the fifth game en route to winning the second set 6-3. Czech Republic’s Jiri Lehecka came back from one set down to beat Marcos Giron 4-6 6-3 6-4.
