Australian Open 2022, Semifinals, Friday, 28.01.2022
One could win his first Major title, the other his 21st! Friday at the Australian Open 2022 is all about the two semi-finals. In the men’s singles, only players from the top 10 are still in the tournament.
The quality is immensely high, three young professionals want to spoil a record for a real icon. In the first semi-final, Matteo Berrettini meets Rafael Nadal, two worlds collide here.
Both have delivered five-setters for a long time in this tournament, have only dueled once. The bookmakers’ confidence is more in the direction of the 20-time champion, but of course I’ll take a close look at that in my Berrettini Nadal tip!
Third time in a semi-final at a Grand Slam, first time at the Australian Open – Matteo Berrettini is establishing himself more and more in the top 10 of the tennis circuit and proving that his Wimbledon final of 2021 was by no means a fluke.
The Roman is known for his close matches, and of course he made no exceptions in Melbourne. We know this style from him: he holds his own serve and breaks a few incisive serves as a return player.
He already started with this style against Brandon Nakashima and Stefan Kozlov in the first two rounds, winning a fourth set in each case. Then he faced Carlos Alcaraz and a real tennis thriller was in the offing.
6-2, 7-6, 4-6, 2-6, 7-6 – it could not have been more exciting! After Pablo Carreno Busta was actually defeated outright, the system from the Alcaraz match was repeated in the quarter-finals against Gael Monfils.
After a 6-4, 6-4, Berrettini tired briefly, dropping two sets 3-6, 3-6. Only to take a 6-2 in the decisive fifth! Twice he squandered a 2-0 lead, but then showed how strong he is mentally.
Very unusual: he conceded 14 break chances to Monfils, something you rarely see from him. He already faced him once at the 2019 US Open, Berrettini’s first GS semi-final, Spanish icon Rafael Nadal.
Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic are not competing, meaning Nadal could become the first player to wrap up a 21st GS triumph! The 35-year-old is showing signs of recovery from injury, but not flawless or unbeatable.
For the sixth time he could make it to the final in Melbourne, only in 2009 was he the champion here. After smooth, convincing wins against Marcos Giron and Yannick Hanfmann, the Spaniard began to wobble.
Against Karen Khachanov he needed a fourth set for the first time. Adrian Mannarino was then clearly beaten once more, but in the quarter-finals it showed what happens when Nadal is put under real pressure.
The 6-3, 6-4, 4-6, 3-6, 6-3 defeat of Denis Shapovalov also revealed one or two mental weaknesses. His inferior opponent even denounced after the defeat that Nadal had used various psychological tricks to win.
Eleven double faults made it clear that even Rafael Nadal is not infallible. But the fact that he wins an average of 80% of the points on his first serve should also interest Matteo Berrettini.
My Berrettini Nadal Tip
Against Denis Shapovlov, Rafael Nadal once again got off lightly. A 21st GS title beckons, but can he really get past Matteo Berrettini? The Italian is playing a sensational tournament for me.
Whoever keeps Carlos Alcaraz in check also has good chances against Nadal.
In any case, I can’t imagine a quick match outcome here, both serve too well for that. What could be more obvious than a close result? That’s why I’m betting:
There will be at least one tiebreak!
