The runner-up at Wimbledon in 2021, in a highly anticipated first-round matchup at the 2023 Australian Open, Matteo Berrettini will compete against three-time Grand Slam victor Andy Murray. In an effort to avoid such a terrifying opening draw at a Grand Slam, former world number one Andy has been striving to amass enough wins on tour, but his recent performances have fallen far short of expectations.
Murray vs Berrettini Betting Odds
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Murray vs Berrettini Match Details
Fixture: Andy Murray vs Matteo Berrettini
Date and Time: Monday, January 16 at 10:00 PM ET
Venue: Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Park, Australia
Murray vs Berrettini Key Stats
After reaching the 2022 Australian Open semifinals and rising to a career-high ranking of World No. 6, Matteo saw a mixed bag of success. This was primarily due to him losing momentum as a result of having hand surgery and testing positive for COVID-19.
The 26-year-old won two matches on grass in 2022 but fell outside the Top 10 and is now ranked #14 in the world. He began the 2023 season by winning three games in the United Cup, including two victories over players ranked in the top 10 (Hubert Hurkacz and Casper Ruud).
His winning streak, however, was short-lived, as he lost to Taylor Fritz and Stefanos Tsitsipas, respectively, in the United Cup semifinals and championship match.
While Sebastian Korda, the eventual runner-up, defeated Andy in straight sets in the opening round of the Adelaide International 1, Andy had no victories to his name.
The former World No. 1 has acquired some momentum recently, though, after spending a few years outside the Top-100. His finest performance in 2022 was reaching the Stuttgart Open final, where he lost the championship to his current rival, Berrettini.
Four encounters between Andy and Matteo have taken place. While Matteo won their last three meetings, the most recent occurring in the third round of the 2022 US Open, Andy prevailed in their first encounter at the 2019 China Open. The Italians lead the overall series 3-1.
Murray vs Berrettini Betting Prediction
In this intriguing Australian Open opening-round match, Matteo will be the clear favorite. In 2022, the Italian was absent from two Grand Slam competitions, yet he still made it as far as the quarterfinals in New York and the semifinals in Melbourne.
The former World No. 6 will try to rack up quick points and overtake Andy with his powerful serve and forehand. The 35-year-old, on the other hand, will attempt to take advantage of the Italian's weaker backhand and will try to produce reliable returns and prolong rallies to wear down his opponent.
However, Matteo is projected to go all out in 2023 and is most likely to go into the next round at the 2023 Australian Open since he has to defend points scored through last year's semifinals.
Pick: Matteo Berrettini -4.5 (-125)
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