Matteo Berrettini Battles Past Gael Monfils To Reach His First Major Semifinals at the US Open 2019

The 24th seed, Matteo Berrettini battled past, World No.13 Gael Monfils 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 to make his first Grand Slam semifinals at the US Open 2019. Their match concluded in nearly four hours. The 23-year-old Italian will face either Rafael Nadal or Diego Schwartzman in the semifinals of the US Open 2019.

Best battle of the year!

Set one

Gael Monfils and Matteo Berrettini held their opening two service games quite comfortably. However, Monfils stepped up in the sixth game of the set as he broke Matteo to get a lead of 4-2.

At 5-2, Berrettini held his serve from 0-30 to force Monfils to serve it out, which the Frenchman did with little difficulty, securing the opening set in just 32 minutes.

Gael Monfils struck the ball at flat angles and moved up the court continuously which forced Berrettini to make errors throughout the opening set as the Frenchman took a 6-3 lead over the Italian. Berrettini could manage to win only five points on Monfils’ serve in the first set.

Set two

Matteo Berrettini suffered a break in the first game of the second set. It looked like the Frenchman will cruise through the second set with the momentum on his side. However, a horrible game from Gael leveled back the set at 2-2.

Matteo Berrettini once again broke Monfils’ serve in the eighth game of the second set to get a lead for the first time in the match at 5-3. Monfils was struggling and looking to fade in the heat. The world No.25 served out the set 6-3 to level back the match at one-set all.

Set three

Matteo Berrettini took the momentum to the third set as he broke in the third game of the set as he was all over the Frenchman and sealed the set 6-2.

Set four

A prolonged game of deuces was carried out on the Italian’s serve. Finally, on the fifth break point, it was the Frenchman attaining the break of serve for a 3-1 lead in the fourth set.

Allez 3-1!

The play was followed by an 8-minute delay since the roof had to be closed due to rain. It raised the humidity level in the Arthur Ashe Stadium and discomforted the players. Thereafter Berrettini was dominant with his service games, but couldn’t overpower Monfils and just by clinging to his serves, Gael took the quarterfinal encounter to the fifth set.

Set five

Berrettini began by taking a 2-0 lead and down-the-line backhand winner on the break point, but with Monfils refusing to give up, he was back on serve at 2-2.

Blazing forehands!

Berrettini with three break chances at 3-2, within a blink of an eye, the Italian held the break at for a 4-2 lead in the final set. Simultaneously he was given a code violation warning for receiving coaching signals from his box.

The drama in the fifth set prevailed while the Italian was serving for the match. Berrettini received a match point and could have served it out and sailed into the semifinals, but the Frenchman showed up and broke him for a 5-4 scoreline as the Italian man double-faulted.

Monfils is still in!

Match point squandered…

Monfils played a safe game and continued to stay in the last eight round on Ashe.

Monfils double-faulted at 6-5 and Berrettini earned a match point again. By placing the next return on the net, the match point evaporated. Three double faults in a single game once again gave a match point to Berrettini. However, the Frenchman made a gutsy hold at 6-6 and moved towards the final set tiebreaker.

Gael saving match points after three double faults!

Still in the QF! Gael!

Fith Set Tiebreaker:

Gael’s double faults prevailed again. He committed five double faults in the last 10 minutes. The Frenchman came with fiery tennis on his opponent’s serve but it was Berrettini who sealed his semifinal spot at the US Open 2019!

SEMIFINALS!!