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sport">The opening game was immediately a prey for Berrettini, last year losing finalist at Wimbledon. At a 3-2 deficit, Van de Zandschulp was broken for the first time, after having held out for almost fifteen minutes. Only at the ninth breaking point did the 26-year-old tennis player from Wageningen bow after a double fault. Trailing 3-5, the Dutchman managed to break the Italian back, but he was unable to take advantage of it because Berrettini immediately broke back to take the first set 6-4.
sport">Berrettini immediately took the lead in the second set. In the sixth game with Van de Zandschulp trailing 3-2 and a breaking point against, the umpire decided to stop the game. It had started to rain again. The Dutchman was not happy about it to say the least. “You don’t stop the match at 40-30, you only do that at the start of a game,” he snapped at the umpire. After a break of half an hour, Van de Zandschulp handed in his own game and saw Berrettini quickly lead to the second set win: 6-3.
The match started more than half an hour later, because it was raining in London. Matteo Berrettini (m) is kept dry.
Ⓒ ANP/HH
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sport">By reaching the final, Van de Zandschulp would have followed in Tom Okker’s footsteps. He was the last Dutchman to reach the final at Queen’s in 1968. The grass tournament in London is a preparation tournament for Wimbledon, which starts at the end of this month.
sport">Van de Zandschulp reached the final at the clay tournament in Munich a month ago, but eventually gave up due to respiratory problems. He already stranded in the first round on the grass of Rosmalen last week.
sport">“It was a difficult game against a good opponent,” Berrettini said in a first reaction. “In addition, a stop because of the rain is not really conducive. Fortunately, today I played my best game so far this week. Otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to win. I’m very happy with it.”
sport">In the other semifinal, Filip Krajinovic defeated the Croatian Marin Cilic. The Serb did that in straight sets, 6-3 6-3.
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