Berrettini cuts through tie-break tension in Kitzbühel opener

Matteo Berrettini arrived in Kitzbühel with a title-winning confidence, and the Italian needed every bit of it to avoid an early exit on Tuesday at the Generali Open.

The Italian, who on Sunday clinched his second ATP Tour crown of the season in Gstaad, overcame Pavel Kotov 7-6(6), 7-6(5) at the Austrian clay ATP 250. Berrettini rallied from a break down in the opening set and also saved a set point in the first-set tie-break before going on to seal a two-hour, 16-minute first-round triumph.

“A really tough match. I expected that,” said Berrettini after his win. “It’s still clay and at altitude, but it’s completely different [to Gstaad]. It took me some games to get used to the conditions, but the most important thing is that the more I was playing, the more I was feeling good. I’m really happy for my win and looking forward to my next match.”

There it issss ???

The close win goes to @MattBerrettini 7-6(6) 7-6(5) over Kotov#GeneraliOpen pic.twitter.com/I7YtbyfCAu

The No. 50 in the PIF ATP Rankings, Berrettini won 86 per cent (49/57) of points behind his first serve against Kotov, according to Infosys ATP Stats. Now 13-1 on clay since the start of the 2023 season, the Italian will take on second seed Alejandro Tabilo in the second round in Kitzbühel. It will be the second Lexus ATP Head2Head clash between the pair, and the first on clay.

“He’s having a great season. He won two titles and went deep in Rome as well," said Berrettini of Tabilo. "He’s definitely feeling confident, but I am as well, so I think it’s going to be a great match. We played once in Indian Wells, so completely different conditions and different moments in our careers. I expect a battle, but I am ready for it.”

Later on Tuesday, home favourite Dominic Thiem was beaten 6-2, 6-4 by Thiago Agustin Tirante in his farewell appearance at his home event. The 30-year-old Austrian announced in May that he would retire at the end of the 2024 season and has now played his final clay-court match on the ATP Tour.

Champion in 2019, Thiem closed his Kitzbühel account with a 18-10 record in 11 appearances at the ATP 250. He made three finals at the event — his most at any tour-level tournament— including in 2023, when he lost to Sebastian Baez in the title match.

Argentina's Tirante, who reached his first ATP Tour semi-final last week in Bastad, moved up four places into the Top 100 of the PIF ATP Live Rankings with the victory, in which he did not face a break point.

In other action Lukas Neumayer edged Sebastian Ofner 6-4, 4-7, 7-6(3) in a battle of home favourites, while Hugo Gaston outlasted Daniel Altmaier 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-4. Facundo Diaz Acosta and Daniel Elahi Galan also advanced and will face off in the second round. Diaz Acosta downed his fellow Argentine Federico Coria 2-6, 6-3, 6-0, while Galan defeated lucky loser Hamad Medjedovic 6-4, 5-7, 6-3.

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