MONFILS-BERRETTINI. The Frenchman will have offered himself a fifth set but also a lot of regrets. Better in the third and fourth set, Monfils did not last long in the last set. Matteo Berrettini joins the semi-finals and will face Rafael Nadal.
15:15 – The summary of the match
So many regrets for Gaël Monfils! The Frenchman had disappointed with his level of play during the first and second set against Matteo Berrettini who played a serious and extremely solid game for him. Intractable on his first, the transalpine could have concluded the match in three sets and saved himself one more extension match when he has already played two since the start of the Australian Open. Especially since the Italian had benefited from an even greater psychological advantage following his service game won at the start of the second set. More than 20 minutes of battle to win his face-off. Three games later, Gaël Monfils is broken and cannot avoid the loss of the second set. But like any tennis match, the trend can quickly reverse. And on the occasion of this quarter-final, this meeting was no exception to the rule. Gaël Monfils flew over the third and fourth innings. He hit harder, was more sure of his tennis while his opponent was less in legs and more tense. The Frenchman therefore arrived pumped up for the last round unlike his opponent. And it is certainly on this aspect that the French will have the most regrets. He failed to surf on this dynamic and had his first two services taken at the start of the fifth set. One too many psychological setbacks for Gaël Monfils who therefore comes out of this Australian Open with bitterness but also certainly with the satisfaction of having achieved a successful Australian Open. As for Matteo Berrettini, he has won for the sixth time in his career a match in five sets out of the seven he has played so far. The Italian will face Rafael Nadal in the Australian Open semi-finals.
15:00 – Berrettini joins Nadal
The Italian, winner of this Monfils – Berrettini, will face Nadal in the first semi-final of the Australian Open. Both men experienced the same scenario today. They led two sets to zero before being joined and finally winning.
2:54 p.m. – “It’s not just tennis fans here”, says Berrettini
While answering post-match questions on the Rod Laver Arena, Matteo Berrettini suffered the whistles of some people present in the stands of the court. The Italian then sent them a message: “I have a lot of affection for many people in these stands, but I think there are not only tennis fans here”.
14:49 – Lots of regrets
While he had returned to two sets everywhere, Gaël Monfils almost did not exist in the fifth and final round. The Frenchman will certainly be able to harbor regrets because he seemed to be above the Italian during the third and fourth innings. He therefore relives the same misadventure as in 2019 at the US Open when he also lost in five sets against the same opponent.
14:43 – It’s over!
This Monfils – Berrettini is finished! The French lost in five sets and 3:48 of play against the Italian who joined Rafael Nadal in the semi-finals of the Australian Open.
14:37 – Monfils stays in the game
Very good service game from the Frenchman who gives everything to stay in this quarter-final of the Australian Open. It is now up to the Italian to serve to win the match.
14:36 - Berrettini has a semi-final game
The Italian is getting closer to victory in this Monfils – Berrettini. He has just won his faceoff and is now leading five games to one. Gaël Monfils continues to fight but his adversary came back in this last round with other intentions.
14:31 – Monfils wins his first service game in this set
Gaël Monfils finally wins his face-off in this last set. He draws on his last strength to stay in this quarter-final of the Australian Open.
14:28 – Four games to nothing for Berrettini
This fifth set of Monfils – Berrettini turns to correction. The Italian unrolls and has just won his service game and at the same time confirmed his double break. Gaël Monfils will have to quickly find solutions.
14:23 – The double break for Berrettini
The start of the fifth inning in this Monfils – Berrettini is terrible for the Frenchman. He has just been broken a second time on these first two service games. The Italian is again intractable and hurts Gaël Monfils very badly who will have to be mentally strong.
14:19 – Berrettini confirms his break
The Italian was quick to confirm his break. Matteo Berrettini leads two games to nothing against Gaël Monfils in this last round of this quarter-final of the Australian Open.
2:16 p.m. – Monfils interrupted from the start
While the Frenchman seemed to start the start of the fifth round well, Monfils finally lost his face-off. A hard blow for the Frenchman at the start of the last round of Monfils – Berrettini.
14:08 – Like at the US Open
As at the US Open in 2019, the two men will therefore play a fifth set. In the United States, the fifth set had turned to the advantage of the Italian.
14:05 – Monfils offers himself a fifth set
The French did not even wait to have to serve to get this fifth set! Gaël Monfils takes his opponent’s service a second time in this set and comes back to two sets everywhere in this Monfils – Berrettini after a very tight game. He will start the last set on serve.
14:04 – Another long game
As in the previous round in this Monfils – Berrettini, the two men engaged in a tough fight on the service game of the Italian. This game now exceeds 11 minutes.