US Open revamps mixed doubles format, adds $1 million prize to incentivize "biggest names in the sport"

NEW YORK—Matteo Berrettini has lost all three of his matches against Taylor Fritz. He’s lost each of the three tiebreakers they’ve played. He’s won just one set.

But when a reporter asked the Italian if he was ready for his next encounter with the American, in the second round of the US Open, there was no hesitation in reply:

“You ask me if I feel ready? I feel ready.”

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Berrettini has reason to feel confident. After missing September of last year through February of this year with a ruptured ligament (suffered at the US Open), the former No. 6 is 22-6 and has reached four finals in his last eight tournaments. His latest match win, 7-6 (2), 6-2, 6-3 over Albert Ramos-Vinolas on Monday, was his first hard-court victory of 2024.

Despite his history with Fritz—who demolished Camilo Ugo Carabelli on Day 1, 7-5, 6-1, 6-2—Berrettini believes things can only go up.

“Every time we played was tough match,” said the 28-year-old. “And of course, he loves to play here, his tournament in a way—here and Indian Wells. Hell of [a lot of] support, really strong player.

“It’s going to be a tough match, but that’s why I’m training. Why I’m working really hard this season to come back at this level.”

After winning a bronze medal in doubles, Fritz has split his four singles matches on North American hard-courts. "I think my main goal there was to leave with a medal," the American said of his Olympics. "I think if we would have lost that third, fourth playoff, it would have hurt a lot."

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It’s a hell of a second-rounder, a hard-hitting clash between a former Wimbledon finalist and the No. 12 seed because the former is unseeded. Fritz, like Berrettini, acknowledged that fact but relished the challenge.

Fritz, who is vying to reach his fourth Grand Slam quarterfinal in his last five majors, simplified the forthcoming bout.

“In the head-to-head I’ve been able to get him, but it’s always been really close, as it always will be, because, you know, both of us are big servers,” he said. “It’s going to be a lot of serving, a lot of holding.

“It’s going to, in the end, come down to how we perform.”

I've been told statistically that bronze medalists are happier than silver medalists. Taylor Fritz, after winning bronze with Tommy Paul

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Some betting markets have Fritz as a -175 favorite against Berrettini in a match that could receive Arthur Ashe Stadium billing. Regardless of the conditions, the balls will be flying, and a few more tiebreakers might be in order. If some of those relative coin flips went Berrettini’s way in prior collisions, we might be looking at this one differently.

But here’s the thing about history in sports: While so much outside analysis of a match is built upon it, players pay as little mind to it as anyone. Which Berrettini seemed to reiterate, when he reiterated his mindset about Wednesday.

“It’s going to be a tough one, but I’m ready.”

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