Matteo Berrettini offers high praise for Dominic Thiem ahead of Gstaad meeting

World No. 15 Matteo Berrettni was on the verge of suffering a straight-set defeat in the Gstaad quarterfinal but then pulled off a stunning comeback to beat Pedro Martinez.

The match appeared to be finished after Martinez went up by a set and opened a 5-1 lead in the second set tie-break.

Just when it seemed the match was done, Berrettini won six consecutive points to overturn a tie-break deficit and send the match into a decider.

Martinez never recovered from failing to close out the match in two sets as Berrettini won 3-6 7-6 (5) 6-1.

“Sometimes it is just tennis. It is a crazy sport. At 1/5 I thought I was done. Then I played two good points and it was 3/5 and I thought ‘let’s try’,” Berrettini said in his on-court interview, per the ATP website. “I don’t think I played my best match here. But sometimes it is important to win when you are not playing well. I managed to find some energy inside me and I am really happy to be through.”

Berrettini to play Dominic Thiem in the Gstaad final

On Friday, Thiem defeated Juan Pablo Varillas 6-4 6-3 to reach his first ATP semifinal since the 2021 Madrid Masters.

“Dominic has had an unbelievable career,” Berrettini said. “He is a Slam champion and he got injured, but he is coming back. I saw some of him today and his level is coming back, so it is going to be a tough match. We always play great matches, so tomorrow will be a good one.”

Berrettini and Thiem will be going head-to-head for the sixth time when they meet in the Gstaad semifinal.

The head-to-head stands on Berrettini’s side, who has won three of their five meetings.

Berrettini won his first ATP title in Gstaad four years ago and he is motivated to win it all again at the Swiss clay event.