Erste Bank Open: Thiem opponent Berrettini has London in sight
Dominic Thiem faces the semi-finals of the Erste Bank Open with Matteo Berrettini. The Italian is well on his way to qualify for the ATP Finals in London for the first time.
by Jens Huiber
last edit:
Oct 26, 2019, 06:56 am
By Jens Huiber from the Wiener Stadthalle
Ubaldo Scanagatta is, you can not put it another way, a tennis legend. And well-liked by the top stars of the scene. At times, Novak Djokovic warns the Italian journalist, but certainly to shorten his questions. Sometimes "Ubi" falls asleep at a press conference by Rafael Nadal. Scanagatta is of course also a lover of his local tennis scene. And so, last year, after the defeat of Matteo Berrettini against Dominic Thiem, Ubaldo made his way to the winner's press conference, an assessment by Thiem of Berrettini's potential.
The good nursery Dominic Thiems of course forbids this, even a bad word about another player to lose Berrettini in the late spring, at least Thiem a bright future. Nearly a year and a half later, Ubaldo struck again at the US Open in 2019. And asked Mats Wilander which Italian player would like to coach him. The answer of the Swedish Grandmaster: Jannik Sinner and Matteo Berrettini.
Berrettini beats Thiem in Shanghai
The Viennese tennis audience has been watching these two Italians at work in the past few days. The 18-year-old South Tyrolean defeated Philipp Kohlschreiber to the prelude, had beaten in the second round Gael Monfils. Berrettini, almost five years older, is still fully involved in the music. And meet local hero Dominic Thiem in Saturday's semi-final.
He won against him a few days ago in Shanghai, but on a surface, which is very accommodating to the strong supporters from Italy: The surface at the traditionally penultimate ATP Masters 1000 tournament of the year is considered the fastest on the ATP tour. Vienna is different, also in this respect, Dominic Thiem has described the external circumstances as very fair. Of course, much will depend on the return of the Austrian. Against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in round one has just that return worked very well.
Serve and forehand, these are the weapons with which Matteo Berrettini usually wins his matches. The next point scored directly with the backhand will probably be the first in the current season, but for the ball-in-game-holding it is enough. Dominic Thiem, on the other hand, can rely on both sides. One percent, after all, according to Thiem in the press conference after his brief appearance against Pablo Carreno Busta, would take away the conditions of his opponent's impact strength. After all.
Actually, Fognini is expected in London
The local hero strives for something historical in Vienna, even if he does not waste any thought on it: Thiem could win the second tournament in his homeland after Kitzbühel in summer on Sunday in Vienna. The stakes for Berrettini are not bad either: Right now the winner of Stuttgart would have a place at the ATP finals in London for sure. With a triumph in Vienna, the Italian could almost create facts.
Should Matteo Berrettini make it to London, that would be the culmination of an extraordinary season, which, from the point of view of the Azurri, would have been more likely to have been attributed to Fabio Fognini after his victory in Monte Carlo. However, Berrettini will not be on his own in London: Ubaldo Scanagatta would be on hand to help his compatriot with advice and assistance if necessary.