Maybe Mattero Berrettini wasn't playing his countryman, Jannik Sinner, or Carlos Alcaraz in the first round of the Miami Open. He was taking on veteran Alexandre Muller, but any positivity for the Italian is a good thing. In the first round, Berrettini had a lot of positivity.
The former staple in the top 10 of the ATP tour hasn't displayed that consistent kind of form in many years. While he is only 20 years old, his body might feel more like 40. He has often been injured, and that has absolutely impacted the greatness of his game.
Make no mistake, though, when Berrettini is in form, as he was against Muller, his forehand and serve can be overpowering. The former ranks among the best on the tour when he was healthy, and Muller learned that on Thursday.
Matteo Berrettini dispatches Alexandre Muller with ease at the Miami Open
The odd part is that while both players are 29, they have never faced each other in an ATP-sanctioned event. In their combined careers, they have 11 titles. The issue is that Berrettini has 10 of those, though he has never won a hard-court title, which the Miami Open is played on.
One might not know that from watching Berrettini's bombastic display against Muller. The Italian was playing efficient tennis, especially in the first set when he had 11 winners and just seven unforced errors. Muller wasn't playing poorly, to be sure; he simply wasn't playing as well as Berrettini.
In the second set, Muller lifted his form on his serve, landing nearly 100 percent of his first serves through the first half of the set, and yet he still dropped a game on serve. Berrettini had the match firmly in his control and appeared to be in the kind of form he was in during his best years of the early 2020s.
While Alexandre Muller struggled to hold serve, Matteo Berrettini made quick work of his, at least until the final service game, when the Italian finally faced break points. The strain on the Frenchman had to be great and frustrating.
The final scoreline of 6-4, 6-2 was spot on. Berrettini was never in danger of losing the match, especially after getting a second break of Muller in the second set. If he continues in the same form, he is a real threat to make a deep run at the Miami Open.
He will next face the mercurial Alexander Bublik in the second round. The match will feature Bublik's massive serve against Berrettini's elite forehand. It should be an exceedingly fun match to watch for tennis fans.