In-form Stefanos Tsitsipas is playing well again! The Greek faced Matteo Berrettini in the third round in Indian Wells and delivered a 6-3, 6-3 victory in 68 minutes. The 8th seed took 20 points more than his rival and did a marvelous job on serve and return.
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Stefanos dropped eight points in nine service games, never facing a break point and keeping the pressure on the other side. Berrettini could not follow that pace. The Italian struggled behind the second serve and dropped 42% of the points in his games.
The 28th seed played against six break points and gave serve away three times, ending his campaign in the third round.
Stefanos landed 12 winners and 11 unforced errors. Matteo sprayed 24 mistakes and plagued his chances. The Italian led 20-13 in service winners. However, he trailed 11-2 at the net and 33-13 from the baseline, losing ground in the mid-range exchanges.
The Greek produced five comfortable holds in the opener and kept the pressure on the other side. He drew the rival's mistake in the second game, providing an early break and moving 2-0 in front. Tsitsipas closed the third game at love with a forehand winner and settled into a fine rhythm.
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Matteo recovered and served well by the end of the set. He held in the eighth game with a service winner to extend the battle. However, Stefanos drew his mistake in the ninth game, clinching the opener 6-3 in 30 minutes.
The Greek sailed through his service games in the second set. He wasted two break points in the third game but kept his composure. A lucky net cord winner in the seventh game gave Tsitsipas another break point.
He landed a running forehand crosscourt winner at the net to clinch a break and move closer to the finish line. The 8th seed cemented the advantage with a service winner in game eight and made another push on the return in the next one.
Matteo netted a routine backhand and offered his rival three match points. Stefanos landed a volley winner on the first, sealing the deal in style and moving into the last 16.
