Matteo Berrettini defends Queen’s title by beating Filip Krajinovic in straight sets | Tennis News

The Italian, runner-up at Wimbledon last year to Novak Djokovic, beat another Serbian, surprise package Krajinovic, 7-5 6-4 to win the title for the second year running.

Matteo Berrettini defends Queen’s crown by beating Filip Krajinovic in straight sets

Matteo Berrettini has defended his cinch Championships title at Queen’s Club by beating Filip Krajinovic in straight sets.

The Italian, runner-up at Wimbledon last year to Novak Djokovic, beat another Serbian, surprise package Krajinovic, 7-5 6-4 to win the title for the second year running.

In doing so, Berrettini joined some illustrious names; John McEnroe, Jimmy Connors, Boris Becker, Ivan Lendl, Lleyton Hewitt, Andy Roddick and Andy Murray, as the only players to successfully retain the Queen’s Club crown.

The world number 10 has been invincible this grass-court season with back-to-back titles, having beaten Andy Murray in Stuttgart last weekend.

Berrettini had too much firepower for unseeded Krajinovic, who has now lost all five of his Tour-level finals.

Berrettini, who claimed the title in Stuttgart this month, has now won 20 of his last 21 matches on grass, his only loss coming in last year’s Wimbledon final.

He was made to work hard by Krajinovic who broke back in the first set, only to get broken again at 5-5.

A Krajinovic double-fault proved costly at 2-3 in the second set as Berrettini secured the decisive break of serve and went on to secure his seventh career title.

Berrettini said: “There are too many emotions. The last thing I expected after surgery was two titles in a row and to defend my title here. I just cannot believe it.

“Every time I walk in the hallways here and see all the names of the champions from the past, and now knowing it’s me, twice, on the same wall gives me goosebumps.”

Krajinovic’s unlikely run to the final will earn him enough ranking points to be among the seeds at Wimbledon, where he has suffered four first-round exits.

He said: “It was an amazing last 10 days, very emotional to be in my first final on grass.

“Just before this tournament I never won a match on grass and I hated playing on grass. But I feel now I want to play more and more. For sure I’m going to play here next year.”

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