A semifinalist in his final go to to Pat Rafter Area, Jordan Thompson scored one other memorable win on the 2025 version of the Brisbane Worldwide, this time over former world No.6 Matteo Berrettini.
Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 30 December 2024 | Dan Imhoff
So far as unseeded match-hardened floaters within the Brisbane Worldwide draw go, Jordan Thompson is aware of they don’t come a lot more durable than Matteo Berrettini, one of many heroes of Italy’s current Davis Cup triumph.
With the house crowd in his nook, the eighth-seeded Australian although was as much as activity after he overcame a gradual begin in opposition to the previous world No.6 to open his marketing campaign with a 3-6 6-3 6-4 victory.
“I simply tried to present him a distinct look on serve. Clearly, he was serving unbelievably at the beginning and wasn’t lacking many first serves,” Thompson stated. “I assumed I’d attempt to throw him off his rhythm. I feel I might need simply jagged a fortunate break and possibly simply bought it began.
“It’s tough. Generally it’s actually laborious to search out his backhand. He’s an enormous body and he’s bought an enormous serve and big forehand. Making an attempt to pin him in that backhand nook’s not as simple because it sounds.
“I feel I can credit score my motion, simply making an attempt to counterpunch, you understand, a quicker strike and I really feel like I can get on prime of the rally.”
Large! @jordanthommmo2 rallies from a set all the way down to defeat Matteo Berrettini!
Onto the subsequent one, Thommo!#BrisbaneTennis pic.twitter.com/c9g9qoIc7y
— Brisbane Worldwide (@BrisbaneTennis) December 30, 2024
Berrettini was seeking to proceed his resurgence following a foot harm that lower quick his 2023 season.
He was keen to interrupt Australian hearts once more after eking out a win over Thanasi Kokkinakis within the Davis Cup semifinals in Malaga final month on his method to guiding his nation to a profitable Davis Cup title defence.
The 28-year-old prevailed in his solely prior encounter with Thompson within the opening spherical of the 2019 US Open however each had remodeled since, the Sydneysider in a breakout 2024 season by which he snared a primary profession title at Los Cabos and cracked the highest 30.
Thompson held fond recollections of a run to the semifinals in Brisbane final January when he saved a match level in opposition to Rafael Nadal within the quarterfinals in what turned the Spaniard’s closing match on Australian soil.
“He’s considered one of my childhood heroes and taking him down on this courtroom in a quarterfinal on a Friday evening actually kickstarted my 12 months,” he stated, earlier than he jokingly tipped his hat to a closing exclamation mark that rounded out his season. “Then I went and educated with the Wests Tigers and that simply boosted it much more.”
One other massive server, 20-year-old Alex Michelsen, awaits.
The American earlier saved a match level and transformed on his fifth to sneak previous Thompson’s compatriot Christopher O’Connell 6-4 4-6 7-6(12).
In an earlier all-Australian encounter at Pat Rafter Area, Kimberly Birrell arrange a second-round showdown in opposition to No.2 seed Emma Navarro following a three-set win over good pal and former apply associate Priscilla Hon.
Having trailed a set and 3-1 within the second set, 26-year-old Birrell gained 3-6 7-5 6-2.
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