Tsitsipas overcomes Berrettini to set up Djokovic showdown

ATP Masters 1000 Rome, 3rd round
Tsitsipas beats Berrettini: 7-6, 6-2

• The headline: World No 5 and Monte-Carlo champion Stefanos Tsitsipas reached the Rome quarter-finals after a straight-sets win over Matteo Berrettini
• Other key info: The Greek will take on world No. 1 Novak Djokovic next
• Why you should read this story: Tsitsipas currently leads the ATP Race to Turin and has a good chance to  increase his lead over his rivals this week

Fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas is through to the quarter-finals of the ATP Rome Masters after a 7-6, 6-2 win over local favourite Matteo Berrettini in front of a passionate Italian crowd.

The match, which lasted one hour and 36 minutes, saw Tsitsipas converting two of seven break point opportunities – both of those coming in the second set – while Berrettini was unable to convert either of his two chances on the Greek’s serve.

Tsitsipas to meet Djokovic next

The win sets up a blockbuster quarter-final showdown against world No 1 Novak Djokovic, who scored a comprehensive 6-2, 6-1 win over Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the first match of the day.

“[Djokovic] has won here a lot of times. I am just expecting to go out there [and] give my best performance,” Tsitsipas said as quoted by the ATP Tour. “He can play on all surfaces. We played each other at Roland Garros. I see this as an opportunity for me to do something better this time. I hope to be able to play the same tennis that I have been playing so far and be a challenge for him.”

Djokivic broke serve five times during his win over Fokina and the five-time Rome champion is now 57-9 at the event, which is held at the historic Foro Italico event.

A 15th quarter-final in 15 Rome appearances! 👏

Five-time champion @DjokerNole defeats Davidovich Fokina 6-2 6-1 in 70 minutes.#IBI21 pic.twitter.com/zwhzsfIpNQ

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) May 13, 2021

Djokovic leads Tsitsipas 4-2 in career head-to-head with the Serb winning their last three encounters, including their semi-final clash at Roland-Garros last year.

Tsitsipas leads the ATP Race to Turin

Tsitsipas currently sits on top of the ATP Race to Turin, which is based on points solely earned in 2021. The 22-year-old has won the Monte-Carlo Masters, reached the final in Acapulco and Barcelona, as well as the semi-finals at the Australian Open and in Rotterdam.

Tsitsipas leads the race with 2,930 points, ahead of No 2 Andrey Rublev, who has 2,580 points, and Djokovic, who comes in third position with 2,320 points.