The 2021 Wimbledon championships marked Novak Djokovic’s seventh appearance in the final at the All England Club.
His opponent that year came in the form of Matteo Berrettini, who, in a maiden visit to a Grand Slam final, was bidding to become the first Italian man in history to win the tournament.
Berrettini got off to a great start against Djokovic, taking the first set after clinching a tiebreaker 7-4.
The Serb fought back, however, and took the next three sets to win his 20th major title, tying both Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal at the time.
Djokovic also completed a three-peat at Wimbledon, becoming the first man to do so since 2005, when Federer won his third in a row.
It was a tough loss for the Italian to take, who had enjoyed an impressive run in South West London, but ultimately he couldn’t find an answer for the then-world number one, whom he spoke on after the match.
What Matteo Berrettini said about Novak Djokovic after the 2021 Wimbledon final
When asked after the final what makes Djokovic a tough test for so many, Berrettini responded: “I think first of all, obviously the way he neutralises my weapons, my serve and my forehand.
“The way he covers the court, it’s unbelievable. It’s something that I never experienced. He’s the only player that makes me feel like this. That’s why I said I have to get better in order not to feel like that.
“I would say also over the years his serve improved a lot. He’s really precise. He’s really hitting the line when he wants to. This is something, especially on this surface, really important.
| Player | First Set | Second Set | Third Set | Fourth Set |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Djokovic | 6 (4) | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Berrettini | 7 (7) | 4 | 4 | 3 |
“I would say, tactic-wise, he’s probably the best player, together with Roger. He’s studying your game, and then he’s kind of adjusting during the match. It’s not something really easy to do.
“Then, also the fourth thing is that he played his 30th finals today and I played my first one. For sure he knew how to handle all the feelings and emotions that he had. This is something that it’s normal. That’s why I said I need matches like this.
“But again, congrats to him. Really looking forward to facing him on the big stages like this.”
Matteo Berrettini’s Grand Slam record since the 2021 Wimbledon final
After reaching his first Grand Slam final at Wimbledon in 2021, Berrettini has not managed to replicate the feat in the years that have followed.
He made the quarter-finals of the US Open later that year and reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open in 2022, where he lost to Nadal over four sets.
Berrettini missed Roland Garros and Wimbledon in 2022 due to injury, but made the quarter-finals at Flushing Meadows again that summer.
Since then, however, the former world number six hasn’t made it past the fourth round at a major, mainly due to injury struggles.
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