Tennis: Berrettini beats Krajinovic to win Hungarian Open

Italy's Matteo Berrettini (above) returns the ball to Serbia's Filip Krajinovic during the ATP final tennis match at the Hungarian Open in Budapest, on April 28, 2019. PHOTO: AFP

(REUTERS) - Italy's Matteo Berrettini came back from a set down to beat Serbia's Filip Krajinovic 4-6 6-3 6-1 to win the Hungarian Open in Budapest on Sunday (April 28).

Berrettini, who beat two seeded players en route to the final, won his second career ATP Tour title and also his second on clay after winning his first at the Swiss Open last year.

Both players were involved in long baseline rallies during the game and it took some invention to win points with drop shots and winners from acute angles being the order of the day.

Berrettini seemed to be in control at 4-3 in the opening set but Krajinovic only needed to convert one break point to take advantage and eventually clinch the set on serve.

However, the Italian bounced back in the second and served much better than his opponent to get back into the contest.

Krajinovic managed to save four break points but, as in the first set, only one break point conversion was needed to settle scores.

Berrettini then broke the Serbian in the very first game of the final set and took a 2-0 lead. A shaken Krajinovic did not recover and the 23-year-old Italian went on to convert three of four break points to win the match.

Berrettini, who is yet to lose in an ATP final, made it two years in a row where an Italian has won the event after Marco Cecchinato won it last year.

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