At the 2021 All England, Matteo Berrettini became the first Italian player to reach the Wimbledon Championships final. While he eventually lost to Novak Djokovic in the final, he certainly proved his mettle to his fans and critics alike. However, there are still some people who think he got to the final based on his luck, and not his skills.

American sports journalist and historian, Steve Flink, believes that Berrettini was lucky to get easier opponents in his quarterfinal and semifinal rounds. Moreover, Flink believes that Alexander Zverev could have made it all the way to the finals.

It was helpful to Matteo Berrettini: Steve Flink

The 2021 Wimbledon Championships was a great success for Novak Djokovic, as a result of which he won his 20th Grand Slam title.

While Ubaldo Scanagatta and Flink got their predictions right with Djokovic, they could not predict the other finalist. They both backed German ace, Alexander Zverev to make it to the finals. However, Berrettini was a surprise this year at SW19.

“We were thinking Zverev on the other side would get through. I think it was a break you bought, though, I am not saying he needed it because he played beautifully.

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“But it was helpful to Berrettini not to have to play Zverev. He played Felix instead, a young Canadian, and he took full advantage of that,” said Flink, on a podcast with Ubaldo.

Flink takes a dig at Berrettini for not playing the tough players at SW19

Matteo Berrettini faced Felix Auger Aliassime, a 21-year-old Canadian superstar, in the quarterfinal of the Wimbledon Championships. He later faced Hubert Hurkacz of Hungary in the semifinals. Both players are lower than Berrettini in their ranks and were also seeded lower than him.

“Of course he didn’t have to play Federer, though he played Hurkacz. And it was good draw, but he also served really well and had a great tournament. I think his presence in the final, I think a lot of people who were not that familiar with him, really enjoyed watching him play that match against Djokovic,” said Flink.

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The World No.8 will be moving ahead in his career after the loss at Wimbledon. He will be hopeful of a strong finish at the Tokyo Olympic Games, before leaving for the US Open in August.

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