Matteo Berrettini wins, instantly cramping in bizarre scenes in Indian Wells! | ATP Tour
indian wells
Berrettini wins, immediately cramps in bizarre scenes in Indian Wells!
The Italian next faces Zverev for the eighth time
March 5, 2026
Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
Matteo Berrettini beat Adrian Mannarino 4-6, 7-5, 7-5 in the first round of the BNP Paribas Open.
Written by ATP Staff
Matteo Berrettini suffered cramp immediately after hitting his final shot on his way to a first-round victory at the BNP Paribas Open on Wednesday, sealing victory at the perfect moment.
After his 4-6, 7-5, 7-5 victory over Adrian Mannarino, the Italian fell to the ground in pain and sat there for about five minutes while being visited by ATP directors and physiotherapists. Despite the pain, Berrettini breathed a sigh of relief and dropped everything on the court to face fourth-seeded Alexander Zverev in the second round.
“I worked really hard until the very end,” Berrettini said in an on-field interview. “At the beginning of the third game [set]I started to feel a little cramped. I was a little surprised at first, but then I remembered that I had just been sick three days before, so I thought, “Okay, this is normal.” “
Berrettini went 0-2 against Mannarino as the Frenchman began Wednesday’s match against the Italian in six straight sets. The 29-year-old then relied on a sliced backhand to create an opportunity for his powerful forehand while advancing in the deciding set just five points behind his first serve, according to Infosys ATP Statistics.
Berrettini will next look to improve on his 3-4 Lexus ATP Head2Head record against Zverev.
