Alexander Zverev: "Matteo Berrettini can win Wimbledon if he plays like this"

Alexander Zverev has backed Matteo Berrettini to go the distance at the 2023 Wimbledon Championships and take home the title.

Zverev and Berrettini locked horns in a third-round contest on Saturday. In a match that began on Counrt 1 with the roof open and ended with it closed, Berrettini emerged victorious 6-3, 7-6(4), 7-6(5) in two hours and 27 minutes.

Berrettini has experienced highs and lows at SW19 over the last two years. In 2021, he beat the likes of Guido Pella, Botic van de Zandschulp, Aljaz Bedene, Ilya Ivashka, Félix Auger-Aliassime, and Hubert Hurkacz to reach the final.

In the championship match against Novak Djokovic, he took the first set and looked well set to cause an upset before the Serbian fought back to win the contest in four sets.

Last year, he was forced to miss the tournament after testing positive for COVID-19.

When asked about what words the two exchanged at the net after their match, Zverev stated that he praised Berrettini's performance and backed the Italian to clinch the grasscourt Major title this fortnight.

"I told him that he can win the tournament if he plays like this. In my opinion. I mean, of course there is other players that are great. He's playing Alcaraz next. I think he's a great player as well. But if he plays like this, to be honest, he has chances against anybody," he remarked in his post-match press conference.

Berrettini, meanwhile, later told the media that he thanked Zverev for his kind words but vowed not to think about winning the tournament just yet.

"I thank him already. I have to say I felt really good, but I know this is something I don't have to think about right now. The attitude is going to be the same. Every match is really tough. Today I played good, but doesn't mean anything in terms of winning the tournament, he stated.

---

Carlos Alcaraz awaits Matteo Berrettini in Wimbledon 2023 4R

Carlos Alcaraz in action at the 2023 Wimbledon Championships.

Following his straight-sets win against Alexander Zverev, Matteo Berrettini is set to lock horns with World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz in the Round of 16.

Berrettini trails Alcaraz 1-2 in the head-to-head. They first faced each other in Austria in 2021, where the Spaniard won 6-1, 6-7(2), 7-6(5). Then, at the Australian Open last year, Berrettini emerged victorious 6-2, 7-6(3), 4-6, 2-6, 7-6(5) in the Round of 32.

They last met in Rio de Janeiro in 2022, where Alcaraz won 6-2, 2-6, 62 in the quarterfinals.

Following the win against Zverev, Berrettini stated that he was looking forward to his clash with Alcaraz, a player he knew was "special" after their first meeting on the tour.

"The first time I played him two years ago I felt that this kid was special. He has won so much already. We’ve always had great matches so I’m really looking forward to that one," he said.

With a place in the Wimbledon quarterfinals on the line, Alcaraz and Berrettini are scheduled to face other on Monday.