LONDON ( Associated Press) – Matteo Berrettini looks to be in excellent shape to go ahead once again at Wimbledon.
The second-seeded Italian retained his title in the grass-court Queen’s Club tournament after beating Filip Krajinovic 7-5, 6-4 in the final on Sunday.
Berrettini made his second consecutive consecration in a tournament on the grass since being crowned in Stuttgart last week.
Wimbledon will start on 27 June and Berrettini will enter the All England Club with 20 wins in their last 21 matches on the grass. Last year’s Wimbledon final was the only loss in four sets to Novak Djokovic.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better start to the grass-court season,” said Berrettini. “I feel great. Of course a slam is something else, best five sets. I’m going to face a lot of pressure. But I think that’s normal.” ,
Krajinovic surprised by reaching the final in west London, having never won a grass-court match on the ATP tour until this week. The 30-year-old Serbian leaves tournaments on the surface whenever he can.
“I hate it,” Krajinovi said on the pitch. “But now I feel like I want to play on it more and more.”
His serve was not enough to intimidate Berrettini, who faced only two break balls and scored 14 aces – doubling Krajinovic’s number. The last match was at match point after which he tossed the ball into the air and jumped on the billboard to hug his team and then his father on Father’s Day.
Berrettini emulated Lleyton Hewitt, Andy Roddick, Andy Murray, Marin Cilic and Feliciano López as multiple champions at Queens since 2000. He has won every game since his return to Stuttgart after missing three months with a hand injury.
Krajinovi lost his fifth straight ATP Finals, two of which were lost to Berrettini.
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