World number 45 Matteo Berrettini beat Botic Van der Zandschulp 6-3 6-4 at the ATP 500 tournament in Tokyo. Berrettini has extended his lead in the head-to-head matches against Van de Zandschulp to 4-0. Earlier this month Berrettini beat his Dutch opponent 3-6 6-4 6-4 in the Davis Cup Group A in Bologna.
Berrettini will face either this year’s US Open finalist Taylor Fritz or Arthur Fils.
Van der Zandschulp earned an early break in the first game of the opening set. Berrettini won five consecutive games with three breaks to race out to a 5-1 lead. Van der Zandschulp pulled one break back in the seventh game but Berrettini served out the first set at 30.
Berrettini went up an early break in the first game and held on serve at 30 in the second game to open up a 2-0 lead. The 2021 Wimbledon finalist saved a break point in the eighth game to hold serve at deuce for 5-3. Berrettini earned two match points in the ninth game but Van der Zandschulp saved them to hold serve with an ace. Berrettini served out the win at love in the 10thgame. Berretini hit 7 aces and won 72% of his first service point.
