Italian Derby in Monte Carlo: Berrettini challenges Musetti in the eighth finals of the ATP 1000

by Massimo SelleriThe blue derby in Monte Carlo between Matteo Berrettini e Lorenzo MustettiWe are in the round of 16 of this Atp 1000 with the Roman who on Tuesday beat Alexander Zverev, number two in the world and top seed in this tournament, while Musetti yesterday started badly against the Czech Jiri Lehecka and then overturned the inertia of the match that ended with the result of 1-6 7-5 6-2. The match between the two Italians will be played no earlier than 13.20 pm today and it goes without saying that it is a match between two tennis players who respect each other a lot, being also teammates in the national team in the Davis Cup.

"It's a derby," Musetti says, "and it's nice to have the chance to face a friend, a player I really respect and who, like me, has come out of a difficult period. He's making a great comeback and I think it's a great showcase, not only for us, but also for tennis and for our movement. It's the first time we'll face each other on clay, a surface where we're both quite comfortable. The big difference is that we won't have the support in our favor that this tournament has accustomed us to."

For the Tuscan, the first thing to do is to immediately learn from his mistakes, overcoming what seems to be his main flaw: starting coldly, leaving the initiative to his opponent.

"I think it depends on a mix of things, the desire to prove a lot, which in a certain sense blocks me. These things, certainly, I can no longer allow myself. But if we want to look at the glass half full, the fact of knowing how to react, fight and suffer is something I have to be proud of because I have always been the talented, handsome guy, who plays champagne-like tennis, but who can give the impression of not getting his hands dirty. Here, against Lehecka I got my hands and feet dirty too".

Things didn't go so well for Flavio Cobolli, who was stopped by the Frenchman Arthur Fils with a dry 6-2 6-4. Coming from his first ATP tournament won in Bucharest, the Roman was unable to produce his game in the second round of this tournament. Novak Djokovic also stopped, who was defeated by the Chilean Alejando Tabilo in two sets (6-3 6-4). The news would have had an almost sensational resonance if it weren't for the fact that the Serbian wasn't in perfect physical condition. "My presence here was in doubt - admitted Nole at the end of the match -. The reason was the eye infection and a virus that I had to deal with over the last week. Even if not in an ideal way, everything now seems to be returning to normal".

Carlos Alcaraz also had a tough time against the Argentine Francisco Cerùndolo. The Spaniard went down 3-6 and then literally overwhelmed his opponent 6-0 6-1. Today the world number 3 will face the German Daniel Altmaier, who is ranked number 84. "It will be a really difficult match," said Alcaraz. "I have to concentrate on every point and every shot. I will try to learn from yesterday's match to do the right things and to improve on the things I didn't do well today. So I just decided to keep playing, play another match here in Monte Carlo where I never got to the end. Today will be a great day."

The program opens at 11 with the two playing fields that will host the matches between Jack Draper and Alejandro Fochina and between Andrej Ruvler and Arthur Fils. The other six matches will follow, all broadcast by Sky.