Matteo Berrettini maintained his perfect record against lower-ranked players in 2024 with a commanding first-round victory Monday at the BNP Paribas Nordic Open in Stockholm.

The Italian’s ferocious forehand was on full display in a 6-4, 6-3 win over countryman Luciano Darderi. The 28-year-old was forced to rally from a break down in the opening set, but clicked into gear in the second, sealing the contest in one hour and 17 minutes.

[ATP APP] "I think I played a solid match. Even though we are both Italian, we had never played against each other, so I didn't know what to expect," Berrettini said. "It's my first time here in Stockholm, and my first hit on centre court, so new things, but I think my attitude was really good. The more I was playing, the more I was feeling good."

Improving to 17-0 in 2024 against opponents who sit below him in the PIF ATP Rankings, Berrettini won 89 per cent (31/35) of points behind his first serve, according to Infosys ATP Stats.

Elsewhere at the ATP 250, seventh seed Tallon Griekspoor cruised past Pavel Kotov with a 6-4, 6-3 triumph. With his one-hour, 12-minute win, the Dutchman improved to a 9-2 record in opening-round matches on hard courts this year.

Griekspoor struck eight aces en route to claiming his second consecutive win over Kotov, levelling the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series at 2-2.

Lorenzo Sonego also made a winning start in Stockholm, getting the better of qualifier Marc-Andrea Huesler 7-6(1), 7-5 in an entertaining first-round clash.

[NEWSLETTER FORM]