Matteo Berrettini hopes to kick off ‘special Sunday’ for Italy with Wimbledon title

Berrettini the first Italian to contest SW19 showpiece, while Italy football team play England later Sunday in Euro 2020 final

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  Italy's Matteo Berrettini celebrates after defeating Poland's Hubert Hurkacz during the men's singles semifinals match on day eleven of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Friday, July 9, 2021. (AP Photo / Alberto Pezzali)

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  Italy's Matteo Berrettini celebrates after defeating Poland's Hubert Hurkacz.

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  Italy's Matteo Berrettini greets Poland's Hubert Hurkacz.

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  Matteo Berrettini of Italy in action against Hubert Hurkacz of Poland.

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  Italy's Matteo Berrettini attends a press conference.

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  Poland's Hubert Hurkacz leaves the court after losing to Italy's Matteo Berrettini.

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  David Beckham in the royal box on centre court.

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  Lord Frederick Windsor and Lady Frederick Windsor in the royal box.

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  Italy's Matteo Berrettini waves to the crowd as he leaves the court after winning against Poland's Hubert Hurkacz.

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  Itay's Matteo Berrettini celebrates.

Matteo Berrettini hopes to kick off a special Sunday for Italy by beating Novak Djokovic in the Wimbledon men's tennis final before the national football team take on England in the final of Euro 2020.

Berrettini, 25, became the first Italian to reach the SW19 showpiece after powering his way past Hubert Hurkacz 6-3, 6-0, 6-7, 6-4 on Friday.

The main course may be England’s date with Italy in the Euro 2020 final on Sunday evening, but Berrettini will provide a tasty antipasti when he walks out on Centre Court at 2pm local time (5pm UAE).

And Berrettini hopes he can provide the first half of what could prove to be a ‘Domenica speciale’, or special Sunday, for his home nation.

“I think we deserve it. It’s great day, a great sport day. I’m really happy that together with football now we are one of the biggest sports in Italy,” he said.

“I would say buy a nice TV if you don’t have one already because I think it’s going to be a special Sunday for all of us.

“It’s something crazy to believe for us, obviously let’s say in tennis, because it never happened. So it’s something that nobody expected – me in the first place.

“Then for the football, I mean we didn’t qualify for the World Cup, so after that the job that they did, how hard they worked, the effort that they put, I think they really deserve this final.

“Obviously I’m going to think first about mine. Then, if I have the chance, I’m going to watch them.”

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  Serbia's Novak Djokovic plays a return to Canada's Denis Shapovalov during the men's singles semi-finals match on day eleven of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London.

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  General view of the action between Novak Djokovic and Denis Shapovalov in the semi-final match on centre court.

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  Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates winning his semi-final match against Canada's Denis Shapovalov.

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  Novak Djokovic attends a press conference.

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  Canada's Denis Shapovalov reacts after losing his semi-final match against Serbia's Novak Djokovic.

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  Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates victory against Denis Shapovalov of Canada.

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  Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates.

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  Spectators cheer after Serbia's Novak Djokovic defeated Canada's Denis Shapovalov.

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  Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates.

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  Denis Shapovalov of Canada reacts.

Standing in Berrettini's way is world No 1 Djokovic who is chasing a third consecutive title at Wimbledon title that would move him level with great rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal on 20 Grand Slams.

The Serb has his eyes firmly on the big prize after showing his competitive steel once again to defeat Denis Shapovalov and reach a seventh Wimbledon final.

“It would mean everything,” Djokovic said when asked what winning a seventh SW19 title would mean to him.

“That’s why I’m here. That’s why I’m playing. I imagined myself being in a position to fight for another grand slam trophy prior to coming to London. I put myself in a very good position.

“Anything is possible in the finals. Obviously experience is on my side. But Berrettini has been winning a lot of matches on grass courts this year, winning Queen’s.”

Djokovic admits he will have to overcome the majority of 15,000 fans on Centre Court as he lines up for his 30th final at the majors.

By contrast, Berrettini is in his maiden Slam final and bidding to be the first Italian man to claim a major title since Adriano Panatta at the 1976 French Open.

"Every player hopes in big matches, coming into big stadiums, that he's going to have a majority of the crowd behind him," said Djokovic.

"Having the crowd behind you, against you, it's a big difference.

"Berrettini, his first time in a Grand Slam final, he's kind of an underdog. People also like to see someone win who is an underdog or is not maybe expected to win, is not the favourite to win."