Matteo Berrettini has secured his return to the ATP top 50 for the first time in almost a year after winning the Swiss Open.
The Italian defeated France’s Quentin Halys 6-3, 6-1, in less than an hour during a rain-interrupted final in Gstaad. It is the second time Berrettini has won the tournament after 2018 when he won his first ATP trophy. He now has nine ATP titles to his name with five of those victories occurring on the clay.
“It seems like it was yesterday that I won my first title here six years ago. But, a lot of matches, a lot of things happened,” the 28-year-old said during his on-court interview.
“I’m just so glad that I can keep playing, keep enjoying. I think I found that energy of six years ago during this week.
“This place is special for me. I’m just so happy.”
Berrettini was given a stern test early on by Hayls who entered the main draw via qualifying and beat fifth seed Jan-Lennard Struff in the semi-finals. Early in the first set, he fended off a trio of break points when down 0-40 at 3-3. Then in the following game, Berrettini broke before proceedings came to a halt at 5-3 due to rain.
The sixth seed dominated the match when play resumed by winning seven out of the next eight games en route to victory. Impressively winning 90% of his first service points and 88% of his second.
“At the beginning, I was trying to figure out how to play because, during the whole week, the conditions were really different,” Berrettini explained.
“Every day was different. It was really windy and then we had a bit more wet. Then today it was really cold and and drizzling
“I was able to not get broken from Love 40. I think from there on I found the right energy. When we stopped, I came back on court, I was I found the perfect focus.”
Sunday’s victory will move Berrettini up the rankings to 50th in the world in what will be his best position since August 2023. The rise follows what has been a roller-coaster few months of the Tour. Last season he was sidelined from tournaments due to a tear in an oblique muscle before injuring his ankle at the US Open. Then in January, a foot injury forced him out of the Australian Open.
“We decided it wasn’t the year that we would think about ranking because there were so many uncertainties, so many doubts,” he explains.
“The most important thing is that I’m healthy and I’m playing good.
“I think when it’s, when that thing is those things are there, then everything can come. It would be nice.”
With the American hardcourt swing approaching, Berrettini has his eyes on being ranked high enough to be seeded at the Australian Open.
“To be in the top 30 in order to be sitting in Australia I think that’s, that’s a pretty good goal that I can have right now.” He outlined.
“But, again, everything can happen, hopefully, a good run also in the US Open and a US swing. I just want to keep enjoying and being healthy.”
Berrettini’s win-loss record on the Tour is now 16-6 so far this season.
