“In the three tiebreakers, I got a little lucky, but I’ll take it,” said Sinner, who surely didn’t want to rub his older friend’s face in the defeat.
There was one other moment that showed why Sinner won this match, and why he’s at the top of the sport right now.
Serving at 5-5 in the fourth set, 15-15, Sinner moved in for a forehand that he would normally make with ease, only to overhit it wide. The score was 15-30, Berrettini was fired up and two points from breaking, and the crowd, which wanted a fifth set, was behind him. Two points later, at 30-30, Sinner had another forehand from the same part of the court as the one he had missed. This time, he didn’t miss. Instead of rushing and flirting with the sideline, he coolly lifted it well over the net and directed it into the open court for a safe winner.
Sinner made one error, but he didn’t make two. And for the second straight match, he lost one set, but he didn’t lose three.
