Berrettini Triumphs in Dramatic Match at Cagliari Challenger
Hurkacz marches on; Wawrinka faces defeat in France
April 28, 2026
Kathryn Riley/ATP Challenger
Matteo Berrettini showcases his talent at the Sardegna Open
By ATP Staff
Matteo Berrettini excelled on clay surfaces, claiming six of his ten ATP Tour titles and reaching the Roland Garros quarter-finals in 2021.
After an unexpected exit at the Mutua Madrid Open, the 30-year-old aimed to rejuvenate himself at the ATP Challenger 175 event in Cagliari, battling through a challenging first-round match on Tuesday.
Berrettini delivered a nail-biting performance, overcoming Patrick Kypson with a scoreline of 6-4, 6-7(5), 7-6(5).
“My goal in Cagliari is to rediscover my optimal form, both physically and mentally, while collecting energy for the upcoming months,” Berrettini stated prior to the tournament. “We believe this is the perfect event for that.”
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The enthusiastic Cagliari crowd has much to look forward to in Berrettini’s upcoming second-round clash against top seed and 2024 champion, Mariano Navone.
As he progresses, Berrettini only has 100 points to defend throughout the clay season. He faces the loss of 50 points on May 4 from a third-round performance in Madrid and another 50 points on May 18, having again reached the third round in Rome in 2025. The former World No. 6 missed the previous year’s Roland Garros due to a right oblique injury.
“The tour has taught us that securing positive results in tournaments like this one can propel us to great heights,” Berrettini added.
This marks Berrettini’s first appearance on the ATP Challenger circuit since March 2024. He faced a fiercely contested match but ultimately secured victory after nearly three hours of hard-fought play.
“Without the support of this incredible crowd, I would have struggled to win,” Berrettini remarked post-match. “They cheered for me through every point in this tough battle.”
Berrettini isn’t the sole former top-10 sensation competing at the Sardegna Open. Hubert Hurkacz, seeded sixth, dispatched American Zachary Svajda with a score of 6-2, 7-6(8) to kick off his campaign, saving a critical set point in the process.
Aix-en-Provence
Last year’s finalist and former No. 3, Stan Wawrinka, unfortunately fell to eighth seed Sebastian Ofner in a 6-3, 6-4 match.
NextGenATP’s Martin Landaluce made a comeback against home wild card Daniel Jade, winning 4-6, 6-1, 6-3, while Wu Yibing took down Alexandre Muller with a score of 6-3, 6-4.
Fan favorite Grigor Dimitrov is set to headline Wednesday’s lineup at the ATP Challenger 175 tournament in France, where he will face Spanish qualifier Pol Martin Tiffon.
Martin Landaluce will next face fourth seed Ethan Quinn in Aix-en-Provence. Credit: Mike Lawrence/ATP Challenger
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