Big league Berrettini targets Nadal upset in Australian Open semis

Friday, 28 January 2022 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

MELBOURNE (Reuters): Matteo Berrettini will take on Rafa Nadal in the Australian Open semi-finals on Friday looking to take a step closer to his first Grand Slam title and deny his opponent a record 21st

Matteo Berrettini

Rafael Nadal

major crown.

In the other semi-final, US Open champion Daniil Medvedev will play Stefanos Tsitsipas as he bids to become the first man in the Open era to claim a second Grand Slam title immediately after his maiden triumph.

Berrettini lost to Nadal in straight sets in their only previous meeting in the semi-finals of the US Open in 2019, but the Italian — who reached last year’s Wimbledon final — said that he had more belief in his ability now.

“I really want to win this match. I know I can ... It’s going to be a really tough one, but I’m in the semis of a Slam for the third time, so it means this is my level,” said Berrettini, who aims to become the first Italian to win the Australian Open.

Tsitsipas has his eyes set on becoming the first Greek Grand Slam champion, but the French Open finalist will need to be at his best to defeat an indefatigable Medvedev, who saved a matchpoint to get past Felix Auger-Aliassime in the quarters.

Tsitsipas has lost six of his eight matches with Russia’s Medvedev, including a semi-final defeat at Melbourne Park last year, but he said after his quarter-final demolition of Jannik Sinner that he was firmly “in the zone” this time around.