beating Matteo Berrettini, Roger Federer still hopes to go to the semifinals of the Masters

The Swiss beat the Italian on Tuesday in two sets. He will face, Thursday, Novak Djokovic

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Roger Federer beat Italian Matteo Berrettini on Tuesday (November 12th), winning in two sets 7-6 (2), 6-4. TONY O'BRIEN / Action Images via Reuters

Roger Federer can still hope. On Tuesday, 12 November, Switzerland maintained a hope of qualifying for the semi-finals of the Tennis Masters in London. Defeated by Austria's Dominic Thiem (7-5, 7-5), two days earlier for his entry into the competition, in the second match, he dominated the Italian Matteo Berrettini, winning in two sets 7-6 (2), 6-4.

Whatever the outcome of the evening duel on Tuesday between Novak Djokovic, world number two, and Dominic Thiem, number 5 world, the Swiss will beat the Serbian, Thursday, if he wants to enter the last four.

Two groups of four

The London Masters brings together, until 17 November, the eight best players of the season. These are initially divided into two groups. The group Björn Borg brings together Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Dominic Thiem and Italian Matteo Berrettini.

The group Andre Agassi meets the world No. 1, Rafael Nadal, and the three best representatives of the rising generation, Daniil Medvedev, Stefanos Tsitsipas and the German Alexander Zverev (No. 7).

At the end of this group phase, the first two of the two groups compete in the semi-finals crossed (the winner of one hen faces the second of the other).

In the Borg group, Djokovi and Thiem won their first match on Sunday. In the Agassi group, Zverev and Tsitsipas won their first match on Monday.

Read also Tennis: Nadal beaten by Zverev for entry to the London Masters

"I was happy to be able to break in the second set"

Roger Federer (No. 3 worldwide) was however somewhat jostled by Matteo Berrettini: the latter, 23 years, ranked 8th in the world, which was particularly able to count on his forehand in the first set, which allowed him to to pocket 11 points in winning strokes.

Arriving at the tie-break, the Italian had already scored more games against the Swiss than in their only meeting so far, in the round of 16 at Wimbledon (6-1, 6-2, 6-2).

He had even pushed a set ball to 5-6, on the first break point of the game, but then had an air gap in the tie-break and in the first game of the second run on his serve.

Berrettini tried to prevent the inevitable by getting 3 breakout balls in the eighth set of the second set. But they were all defended by his 15-year-old who chained on a new break behind to conclude the match.

" It's pretty unusual to lose in a tournament and then come back and win your next matchjoked Roger Federer. But I had this experience last year. he (Berrettini) played very well in the first set and I was happy to be able to break in the second set. I made a copy without fail on my service and that's very good. "

For Federer, six times winner of this end-of-season meeting, the hope of a 7th title is still relevant.

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