Matteo wed serious about final mission
DEFENDING champion Matteo Berrettini booked his place in today’s Queen’s Club Final against Filip Krajinovic – then received a playful marriage proposal from a smitten fan.
Having beaten Holland’s
Botic van de Zandschulp 6-4 6-3 in 90 rain-affected minutes, the 26-year-old was conducting a court-side TV interview when a fan yelled out the offer.
“Let me think about it,” said the Italian heart-throb, laughing, before turning his thoughts back to the game he had just played. “It feels unbelievable,” he added, “I’m really happy.
“It was windy again but I played my best match of the week and I’m really looking forward to the final.”
Berrettini’s victory means he has now reached four successive grass-court finals, a feat only three other active players – Novak Djokovic,
Roger Federer and Andy Murray – have achieved.
He said: “Obviously I can’t compare myself to those three players, they made history in our sport, but I’m trying to learn from them and hopefully one day I’m going to beat them.”
The two powerful servers started their match well and Van de Zandschulp saved eight break points in a game
From Tom Hopkinson at Queen’s Club
that rumbled on and on at 3-2 before handing world No.10 Berrettini a break with a double fault.
The Dutchman broke back but Berrettini kicked on again to win the first set.
Van de Zandschulp was frustrated when the match, which had been delayed by rain at the start, was halted by another downpour at 3-2 in the second set with him 30-40 down on serve.
And when the pair returned, Berrettini made short work of things to set up his clash with Krajinovic (left), who beat two-time Queen’s champion Marin Cilic 6-3 6-3.
The Serbian, for whom today’s outing will be a fifth career final, said: “It’s an unbelievable feeling.
“At the moment I just can’t believe I’m in the final.
“Before this tournament, I’d never won a match on grass and now I’m in the final it’s a dream come true.
“To be honest, I don’t like to play on grass and every year I find a way to skip the tournaments, just coming to Wimbledon and then losing the first round.
‘‘It has been like that for the last 10 years but maybe it will change now.”