Berrettini storms into Roland Garros quarter-finals, avenges Sinner's defeat in straight-set victory
Matteo Berrettini defeated Juan Manuel Cerundolo 6-3, 7-6, 7-6 on Monday to reach the Roland Garros quarter-finals for the first time since 2021, eliminating the Argentinian who had knocked out world No. 1 Jannik Sinner.
The match
Matteo Berrettini, currently ranked 105th in the world, delivered a commanding performance on Court Suzanne-Lenglen to beat Argentina's Juan Manuel Cerundolo in straight sets, 6-3, 7-6(2), 7-6(6). The Italian former top-10 player dominated the first set with a solid serve and forehand, then held his nerve through two tightly contested tie-breaks. The match lasted two hours and 32 minutes.
I feel great, I feel happy. Thank you so much for the support in this packed stadium. This is why we train, why we fight. I want to enjoy this atmosphere with my team, my family.
The third-set drama
The most dramatic moment came in the third-set tie-break. Cerundolo surged to a 6-3 lead, holding three set points to force a fourth set. Berrettini saved all three, then won the next two points to close out the match 8-6 in the breaker. The Italian's resilience under pressure drew praise from the Paris crowd.
A long road back
Berrettini's journey to this quarter-final has been marked by years of injury setbacks. A Wimbledon finalist in 2021, he had not reached the last eight of a Grand Slam since the 2022 US Open. His ranking plummeted outside the top 100, and he entered Roland Garros as the lowest-ranked men's quarter-finalist at the tournament since Igor Andreev in 2007. The victory guarantees his return to the top 50.
Tennis is the love of my life, otherwise I wouldn't be here after all the breaks, the injuries. I'm back again, thanks to these people, to my character and my resilience.
Avenging Sinner
Cerundolo had caused one of the tournament's biggest shocks by eliminating world No. 1 and fellow Italian Jannik Sinner in the second round. Berrettini's win thus carried extra significance for Italian tennis. He is now one of only two former Grand Slam finalists remaining in the men's draw, alongside Germany's Alexander Zverev.
What comes next
Berrettini will face the winner of the evening match between his compatriot Matteo Arnaldi (ranked 104th) and American Frances Tiafoe (22nd). He acknowledged the depth still in the draw, noting that many players are performing at an incredible level, but said he is focused on enjoying the moment and his own game.
There are still so many playing incredible tennis, the draw is full of quality players. I'm thinking about myself.
- Cerundolo eliminates world No. 1 Jannik Sinner in the second round.
- Berrettini saves two match points to beat Francisco Comesaña in the previous round.
- Berrettini defeats Cerundolo 6-3, 7-6(2), 7-6(6) to reach the quarter-finals.
- Quarter-final: Berrettini faces Arnaldi or Tiafoe.
