New Delhi: 24-time major champion Novak Djokovic will take on Matteo Berrettini in the first round of the Qatar ExxonMobil Open in Doha. Berrettini’s bounce back from a six-month-long injury was not easy but now the Italian is reaping the rewards of his efforts and was even named ATP’s Comeback Player of the Year in 2024.
Berrettini kicked off their 2025 season campaign at Brisbane but got dropped out of the tournament in the first round as he lost to Jordan Thompson. His fortune didn’t even improve at the Australian Open where he fell to Holger Rune in the second round. After that, the former No.6 in the PIF ATP Rankings tested his fate at the ABN AMRO Open in Rotterdam but there also he lost to Tallon Griekspoor in the opening game.
Meanwhile, former World No.1 Djokovic also began his 2025 campaign at Brisbane International. He beat Rinky Hijikata and Gael Monfils to ease past into the quarterfinals with an identical scoreline of 6-3, 6-3. He lost 7-6 (6), 6-3 to Reilly Opelka and could not advance to the semifinals.
Djokovic then arrived in Melbourne with Andy Murray as his coach in search of his record 25th Major crown. He easily secured winds against Nishesh Basavareddy, Jaime Faria, Tomas Machac and Jiri Lehecka to set a highly-anticipated Australian Open quarterfinal against Carlos Alcaraz. The Serbian dropped the first set but bounced back stronger to book a semifinal clash with Alexander Zverev. Djoko lost the first set in a tight tie-break and gave a walkover after an injury. After the Melbourne exit, this is his first tournament.
Head-to-Head
Noval Djokovic will lock horns with Matteo Berrettini for the fifth time tonight. The Serbian leads the Italian by 4-0 in the head-to-head. The pair last met at the 2021 US Open where Djokovic triumphed by a scoreline of 5-7, 6-2,6-2,6-3 to advance to the 12th semifinal of his career.
Match Prediction
Matteo Berrettini’s form has been a concern so far with a 1-3 record this year signaling a significant dip from his usual level. He is even struggling against opponents he would normally be expected to defeat. While there were questions about Novak Djokovic’s fitness after his Australian Open injury he seems to have recovered in time for this tournament.
Djokovic has his sights set on a career milestone of winning his 100th career title. Though the final is still some distance away, a win against Berrettini would be a solid first step. Historically, even at his peak Berrettini has struggled against the Serb having lost all four of their previous encounters.
Given Berrettini’s current slump overcoming Djokovic will be a huge challenge. He hasn’t defeated a top-10 player in over two years and has lost his last seven matches against such opponents. Despite Djokovic still feeling the effects of his injury, he is the clear favourite in this match. It’s hard to see Berrettini pulling off an upset in his current form.
Prediction: Novak Djokovic to win in straight sets.
When, where, and how to watch the Novak Djokovic vs Matteo Berrettini match in India?
The Novak Djokovic vs Matteo Berrettini Qatar Open 2025 round of 32 match can be watched on Tennis Channel as there is no official partner for the live telecast of the tournament. The action begins at 8 pm IST tonight.
Can Matteo Berrettini end the difficult start to the 2025 season or will the former World No. 1 Novak Djokovic ease past him for the record fifth time? But before the clash begins, let’s examine who holds the upper hand over the other. Tennis Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
