Italian job: Matteo Berrettini through to Wimbledon final

Matteo Berrettini defeated Hubert Hurkacz to reach the Wimbledon final for the very first time

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Matteo Berrettini is through to Wimbledon final

Matteo Berrettini became the first Italian player – man or woman – to reach the singles final Wimbledon as he beat Hubert Hurkacz 6-3, 6-0, 6-7(3), 6-4 on Friday.

“So far, it’s the best day, tennis-wise, of my life. So far, it’s the best day, tennis-wise, of my life,” Berrettini, who won the battle of the first-time Wimbledon semifinalists, said after the match.

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“I’m so proud to bring the flag here , so many great names that compare to me, I’m doing it, so I have to believe it.

“I have no words, really. Just thanks. I need a couple of hours to understand what happened. I played a great match, my family’s there, my whole team. I think I never dreamed about this because it was too much, for a dream, nothing [to say], Grazie!”

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The seventh seed, who also reached the 2019 US Open semi-finals, did not lose his serve across four sets and saved both of the break points he faced on Centre Court.

Berrettini blasted 60 winners, including 22 aces, as he powered his way to his first Grand Slam final. He will take on the winner of the match between Novak Djokovic and Denis Shapovalov in Sunday’s final.

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The 25-year-old is aiming to become the first Italian man to lift a Grand Slam trophy since Adriano Panatta’s 1976 triumph at Roland Garros.

Hurkacz, who had to score a career-best victory over World No. 2 Daniil Medvedev and childhood idol Roger Federer, the sixth seed, en route to the last four, came out of the gate flat-footed and struggled to recover ground as Berrettini got going on Centre Court.

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