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Match Details
Fixture: (2) Matteo Berrettini vs Filip Krajinovic.
Date: 19 June 2022
Tournament: Cinch Championships 2022.
Round: Final.
Venue: London, United Kingdom.
Category: ATP 500.
Surface: Grass.
Prize money: €2,134,520.
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | Canada - TSN | UK - Amazon Prime Video.
Matteo Berrettini vs Filip Krajinovic preview
Defending champion Matteo Berrettini will square off against a rather unexpected opponent in the final of the 2022 Cinch Championships in the form of Filip Krajinovic on Sunday.
Berrettini booked a place in his second consecutive grass final of the season with a commanding 6-4, 6-3 victory over Botic van de Zandschlup in the semifinals. That has been the story for the Italian all tournament, who has lost only one set so far -- against Denis Kudla in the second round.
Against the Dutchman, the 26-year-old lost serve only once and looked in command throughout the contest. The World No. 10 won three-quarters of his service points (40/53) and 80% of his first serve points (30/34). He also won almost 50% of the return points he faced (30/69).
How the Italian would cope with his return to action after spending considerable time on the sidelines was a question that left many wondering, but he has returned to the tour as if he was never away. With a title run in Stuttgart last week, Matteo Berrettini is yet to lose a match on grass this year, and has locked in his position as one of the prime favorites for the upcoming Wimbledon Championships.
Filip Krajinovic, meanwhile, has had a run that is a surprise to everyone, including himself. Prior to this week, the Serb had never scored a win on grass, losing all four matches he had played in. He has notched up four wins this week already, playing within an inch of his life to dispose of higher-ranked opponents such as Jenson Brooksby and Marin Cilic.
Facing off against Cilic in the semifinals, the World No. 48 did not get broken even once and saved all six break points he faced to win 6-3, 6-3. He also dominated on the serve, winning 73% of his service points (41/56) and 74% of his first serve points (29/39). Krajinovic was also impressive in return games, winning almost 50% of return points on Cilic's serve (25/58).
Matteo Berrettini vs Filip Krajinovic head-to-head
The pair have faced off twice on the ATP tour so far, with both meetings going in favor of the Italian for a 2-0 lead. While Berrettini was stretched to three sets when they faced off at the 2019 Hungarian Open, he needed only two sets to best the Serb at the 2021 Serbia Open.
However, this is the first time the duo will be locking horns on grass.
Matteo Berrettini vs Filip Krajinovic odds
(All odds are sourced from BetMGM)
Matteo Berrettini vs Filip Krajinovic prediction
Matteo Berrettini is the clear favorite coming into the contest, and it has nothing to do with Filip Krajinovic's lack of preference for grass. The 26-year-old is one of the few active players who are best suited to playing on the surface and he has proven it time and again over the years.
Despite minor hiccups this week, the Italian's serve has been on point for the most part. Berrettini has made effective use of the serve-and-volley technique all week, a weapon that will come in just as handy against Krajinovic.
Unless the World No. 48 can find a way to capitalize on Berretini's relatively slower second serve and exploit his weaker backhand at the same time, chances are that the final will be over before he even has a chance to get into the game. Krajinovic will also need to bring his A-game on serve to keep up with the World No. 10, but as things stand right now, this looks primed to be an easy victory for Berrettini.
Pick: Matteo Berrettini to win in straight sets
