Frenchman Ugo Humbert, the highest ranked tricolor player in the men’s category (N.33), lost on Tuesday in the first round of the US Open, which he approached as the top seed (N.29), against the Italian Matteo Berrettini (N.36), 6-4, 6-2, 6-2. For Messin, the first round was a trap against the Roman, former world No.6. The muscular giant (1.96m for 95kg) remains a threat on fast surfaces, as evidenced by his recent round of 16 at Wimbledon, during which he took a set from eventual winner Carlos Alcaraz.
Throughout the meeting, the Italian imposed his game, all in variations, and showed that he was still capable of high-class shots and dazzling acceleration on the forehand. Committing only one unforced error in the first set, Berrettini was solid in all the key moments of the match, saving the seven break points that Humbert got against him.
Under pressure from the Italian’s game, Humbert showed signs of annoyance, throwing his cap to the ground at the break after the second set was lost. In the second round, Berrettini will come up against another Frenchman, Arthur Rinderknech, easy winner of the Argentinian Diego Schwartzman on Tuesday.
