Berrettini Survives Three-Hour Battle With Norrie, Through To Vienna Quarterfinals

Matteo Berrettini
Matteo Berrettini (photo: e-motion/Bildagentur Zolles KG/Christian Hofer)

VIENNA/WASHINGTON, October 23, 2025 (by Michael Dickens)

In an injury-plagued 2025 season that saw him miss Roland-Garros and the US Open and cut his season short, Matteo Berrettini has earned 13 of his 17 wins on hard courts, highlighted by his quarterfinal runs in Doha, Dubai and Miami earlier in the year. 

However, the ATP 500 Erste Bank Open,  in the Austrian capital city of Vienna, has always brought out some of the Roman’s best hard-court tennis. After all, coming into this year’s event, he’s been a three-time quarterfinalist (2019, 2021 and 2024) and reached the semifinals six years ago.

On Thursday afternoon, opening play on Wiener Stadthalle, Berrettini rallied from 1-4 down in the opening set and came on strong to beat No. 35 Cameron Norrie of Great Britain, 7-6 (6), 6-7 (9), 6-4, in three hours and 16 minutes to book his place in his fourth Vienna last eight. 

The victory also advanced the 29-year-old, 59th-ranked Berrettini into his 37th  tour-level quarterfinal and sixth on an indoor hard court.

After being named to Italy’s Davis Cup team that will defend its 2024 Davis Cup title in the Davis Cup Final 8 at the end of this season, things are looking up for Berrettini – one of five Italians in action in Wiener Stadthalle on Thursday.

Following his first-round victory over 48th-ranked Alexei Popyrin of Australia in straight sets, Berrettini took down Norrie for the second time this season – and third time overall – after defeating him in a four-setter at the Australian Open last January. After exchanging sets in a pair of tiebreakers, Berrettini broke Norrie in the ninth game of the decider to go ahead 5-4 and served out the win. He put away the victory on his second match-point opportunity, some 51 minutes after he achieved his first match point at 9-8 during the second-set tie-break.

“It was an unbelievable fight against a good friend, Cam Norrie,” Berrettini said following the match. “Thanks a lot for the support. The atmosphere was unbelievable. But I need it tomorrow as well.”

Berrettini finished with 39 winners overall – including 16 aces – and won 73 percent (62 of 85) of his first-serve points. He saved four of five break points, converted two of five chances and outpointed Norrie 125-116. 

On Friday, Berrettini will face World No. 7 and third seed Alex de Minaur of Australia in the quarterfinal round. Earlier this week, de Minaur took out a pair of Austrians, Jurij Rodionov and Filip Misolic, to advance. 

Moutet gets his revenge over Medvedev

In a rematch of Sunday’s Almaty final, France’s 36th-ranked Corentin Moutet gained revenge over 2022 Vienna champion Daniil Medvedev of Russia, 7-6 (3), 6-4, in two hours and 15 minutes. Moutet, who leveled his career head-to-head with Medvedev at 2-all, joined World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz of Spain as the only men to earn Top 20 wins on clay, grass, hard courts and indoors this season.

The loss prevented the World 14 and sixth-seeded Medvedev to become the first man to reach 10 tour-level quarterfinals on hard courts this season and to record 40 wins in a season in seven of the last eight years. It also ended Medvedev’s five-match winning streak. He’s also the third Russian seed, along with No. 5 Karen Khachanov and No. 7 Andrey Rublev to be eliminated before the quarterfinal round.

Moutet struck 34 winners to 31 unforced errors, compared to Medvedev’s 22 winner and 22 unforced errors. He saved five of eight break points he faced and broke Medvedev’s serve in four of six opportunities. Moutet outpointed Medvedev’s 83-77.

Next, Moutet will face World No. 8 and fourth seed Lorenzo Musetti of Italy, who defeated No. 60 Tomas Etcheverry of Argentina, 6-3, 6-4, Thursday evening to advance to his second-straight Vienna quarterfinal.

Milestone win for Zverev

No. 2 seed Alexander Zverev defeated No. 72 Matteo Arnaldi for his 500th career win earlier this year in Toronto. On Thursday evening, the World No. 3 from Germany faced the Italian No. 7 again, for another milestone win. This time, with his 6-4, 6-4 victory in one hour and 27 minutes, Zverev joined Carlos Alcaraz (67), Alex de Minaur (52) and Taylor Fritz (51) as the only men to record 50-plus wins this season – and he reached the Vienna quarterfinals for the fifth time in as many appearances. 

Zverev struck 19 winners, made 16 unforced errors and won 87 percent (33 of 38) of his first-serve points. He saved the only break point he faced from Arnaldi, broke his opponent twice in three opportunities and outpointed him 62-50.

Next, Zverev will face No. 28 Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands in the quarterfinal round.

Around the Wiener Stadthalle

• World No. 16 and eighth seed Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan, a four-time titlist on the ATP Tour this season – Halle, Gstaad, Kitzbühel and Hangzhou – advanced to the quarterfinal round with a 65-minute 6-4, 6-2 victory over No. 21 Francisco Cerundolo of Argentina on the #Glaubandich Court.

Next, Bublik will face World No. 2 and top seed Jannik Sinner of Italy, who eased past No. 22 Flavio Cobolli of Italy, 6-2, 7-6 (4), in an hour and 47 minutes Thursday evening. Sinner hit 14 winners – including his fourth ace on match point – and outpointed Cobolli 77-67.

• In the second round of doubles, Yuki Bhambri of India and Andre Goransson of Sweden advanced to the quarterfinal round with their 3-6, 6-1, 10-8 victory over Neil Oberleitner and Joel Schwaerzler of Austria.

Also, advancing were: No. 2 seeds Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool of Great Britain, who defeated France’s Sadio Doumbia and Fabien Reboul, 4-6, 6-3, 10-5; Francisco Cabral of Portugal and Lucas Miedler of Austria, who defeated qualifiers Constantin Frantzen of Germany and Robin Haase of the Netherlands, 7-5, 3-6, 10-8; lucky losers Fernando Romboli of Brazil and John-Patrick Smith of Australia, who beat Guido Andreozzi of Argentina and Luciano Darderi of Italy, 6-4, 4-6, 10-6; and wild cards Alexander Erler of Austria and Robert Galloway of the United States, who beat Argentina’s Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni, 5-7, 6-4, 10-3.

Thursday’s Erste Bank results

Friday’s Erste Bank order of play

By the numbers

• The record for the longest match inside Wiener Stadthalle is three hours and 41 minutes, which goes back to the 1999 final between Great Britain’s Greg Rusedski and Nicolas Kiefer of Germany, won by Rusedski, 6-7 (5), 2-6, 6-3, 7-5, 6-4.

• Jannik Sinner has reached his 40th career hard-court quarterfinal at the Erste Bank Open. By extending his indoor winning streak to 18,  the Italian No. 1 is also 30-2 in hard-court ATP 500 events since the start of 2023 season, including his Beijing title this year. 

“Quotable …”

“Well this I don’t know. I’ve had some great moments, even if I’m very young. I never take things for granted. I’m happy to be here. Happy to play the best tennis I can. Day after day it’s very difficult. I’m very happy and let’s see what’s coming tomorrow.”

– World No. 2 and top seed Jannik Sinner of Italy, during his on-court interview following his 6-2, 7-6 (4) victory over fellow Italian Flavio Cobolli, which was his 18th straight win indoors. Sinner was asked by ATP Media if he was playing with more confidence than he ever had in the past.

 

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