Love of tennis behind second coming of Berrettini

Matteo Berrettini has won 10 ATP Tour titles [Getty Images]A beaming Matteo Berrettini said tennis is the "love of my life" after reaching a Grand Slam quarter-final for the first time in almost four years.

>Berrettini beat Argentina's Juan Manuel Cerundolo 6-3 7-6 (7-2) 7-6 (8-6) to set up a French Open last-eight tie against Frances Tiafoe or Matteo Arnaldi.

>The Italian reached a career-high world number six in 2022 but has slipped to 105th in the rankings after being plagued by injuries and fitness problems.

>"[Tennis] is the love of my life, if it wasn't I wouldn't be here," Berrettini said.

>"After all the setbacks, all the injuries, all the bad moments, I came back once again.

>"There were moments where it was really tough to come back and play, because I wasn't ready and I wasn't sure about my confidence - now I feel great."

>Berrettini is the lowest-ranked Roland Garros quarter-finalist since Igor Andreev in 2007.

Meet the new Rafa planning to conquer Roland Garros • >Williams, 44, to return to action in Queen's doubles • >'Nobody knows me' - qualifier Chwalinska into last eightBerrettini lost to Novak Djokovic in the 2021 Wimbledon final and was beaten in the Australian Open semi-finals the following January.

>His last Grand Slam quarter-final appearance was at the 2022 US Open, and he has missed six of the following 13 majors through injury.

>"There are so many players who are playing unbelievable tennis," said Berrettini.

>"Tennis is unpredictable. The field is pretty packed and I'm trying to give my best, I'm focusing on my game and I want to enjoy this win."

>Berrettini came through the longest match of his career in the previous round - saving two match points to win in five hours and 16 minutes - to signal injury issues might be a thing of the past.

>The 30-year-old showed no hangover from that performance during his encounter with Cerundolo, as he raced through the opening set and came through a tie-break in the second.

>Cerundolo threatened a fightback in the third when breaking for a 3-2 lead but Berrettini struck back for 5-5 and saved three match points before winning the tie-break.

Auger-Aliassime enjoying 'dream' runFelix Auger-Aliassime has never previously gone beyond the fourth round at Roland Garros [Getty Images]Felix Auger-Aliassime, a two-time US Open semi-finalist, used his experience to come through a potentially tricky tie against Alejandro Tabilo 6-3 7-5 6-1.

>In theory, Chile's Tablio should have been the fresher of the competitors, having spent about six hours less on court last week after being handed a walkover in round two.

>Canada's Auger-Aliassime started strongly, though, breaking at 3-1 before the remainder of the opening set stayed on serve.

>Tabilo had never previously gone beyond the third round at a Slam but raised his level in the second.

>The 28-year-old, who celebrates his birthday on Tuesday, played aggressively from the baseline and it almost paid dividends as he looked to break for 5-4.

>But Auger-Aliassime raised his level to break for a 6-5 lead and served out the set to take full control.

>Tabilo wilted in the third and was broken three times as his hopes of a first major quarter-final spot were ended.

>"Since I was 12 or 13 it has always been a dream for me to get this far," Auger-Aliassime said.

>"I am a French-speaking guy - I can say I am very, very happy to get your support and I hope I will have your support until the end."

'The match is never done'Fourth seed Auger-Aliassime will face 10th seed Flavio Cobolli for a place in the semi-finals after the Italian beat Zachary Svajda 6-2 6-3 6-7 (3-7) 7-6 (7-5).

>Cobolli looked on course for a routine victory after wrapping up the opening two sets in one hour and 25 minutes - breaking twice in each.

>Svajda, 23, finally found some rhythm in the third and came through a tie-break to get a foothold in the match.

>Cobolli immediately wrested back control in the fourth, racing into a 4-0 lead, but Svajda - who had never previously gone beyond the second round of a Grand Slam - refused to give up.

>The American fought back from 5-1 down, breaking twice and saving match point, to force another tie-break, but Cobolli eventually got over the line to reach just his second Grand Slam quarter-final.

>"The only thing that I understood today is that the match is never done," Cobolli said.

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