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Matteo Berrettini wants to see Italian sporting history written at Wimbledon and Wembley this weekend. The dashing world No 9 is the first man from the Bel Paese to reach the semi-finals at SW19 since 1960. And the Fiorentina fan is only two wins away from his half of a famous Italian sporting double in the English capital.
“Everything is crazy right now,” he said. “I really hope there will be two Italian wins in London on Sunday – it would be such an historic day.”
World No 1 Novak Djokovic, who takes on Denis Shapovalov today, remains the red-hot favourite to win a record-equalling 20th Grand Slam title.
But there is guaranteed to be a first-time Grand Slam finalist as Berrettini, who watched the Italy-Spain game with Felix Auger-Aliassime before their quarter-final, will take on Hubert Hurkacz in the other semi.
The only other Italian man to reach the last four here was Nicola Pietrangeli, now 87, who lost to Rod Laver in five sets.
“It makes me really, really proud thinking that it has been 61 years,” beamed Berrettini.
“My father will be 59 this year. So my father was not even born! I have done a really beautiful thing.
“I will try not to stop here. This is tennis history is being written and I am doing it. Bello! And I don’t want to stop here.”
Berrettini lost to Roger Federer at Wimbledon in 2019 and his first major semi-final to Rafael Nadal at the US Open later that year.
But this time he is on an unbeaten streak to rival Roberto Mancini’s side – 10 matches on grass – including the biggest title of his career at Queen’s Club.
And instead of the expected re-match with Federer, he will face world No 18 Hurkacz.
The two first met in Australian Open qualifying in 2018 when the Italian won but the Pole gained revenge on his way to the Miami Open title in April.
“Compared to 2019, I think things have changed for me,” said the No 7 seed, who goes out with Aljaz Tomljanovic.
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