Berrettini Blasts Into Antalya Second Round
World No. 10 Matteo Berrettini blasted his way into the Antalya Open second round on Friday by beating Turkish wild card Ergi Kirkin 6-0, 6-4 in just 56 minutes. The top-seeded Italian struck eight aces and won 24 of 26 first-service points.
“I thought it was important to play in the first week of the season, ahead of the Australian swing,” Berrettini told ATPTour.com. “I have been working hard and for the first time in two years haven’t been affected by an injury [coming into a new season]. I thought I played well today and I’m looking to build my confidence in Antalya, where I have played four times before when I was starting my career.”
The 24-year-old Berrettini, who is hoping to win his fourth ATP Tour title this week, now faces Bulgarian qualifier Dimitar Kuzmanov, who led 6-1, 3-2 when Laslo Djere of Serbia retired due to an eye inflammation.
Fifth seed Jan-Lennard Struff, competing at a career-high No. 29 in the FedEx ATP Rankings, saved five of seven break points in a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Russian qualifier Pavel Kotov in 87 minutes. The German now plays France’s Hugo Grenier, who recorded his first ATP Tour match win by beating qualifier Alex Molcan of the Slovak Republic 7-5, 6-4 in 90 minutes. Molcan led 3-1 in the first set.