Berrettini Edges Coria in Gritty Buenos Aires Return

Matteo Berrettini stepped onto the sun-baked clay of Buenos Aires, the weight of an abdominal injury from the Australian Open still lingering as he launched his 2026 season at the IEB+ Argentina Open. The Italian, absent since Italy’s third straight Davis Cup title in November, faced a fired-up Federico Coria backed by a raucous crowd that turned every rally into a home standoff. In a match that demanded patience over power, Berrettini outlasted the Argentine 7-5, 7-5, his first-serve dominance cutting through the tension in two hours and 14 minutes.

The opener tested Berrettini’s resolve early, as he squandered seven break points before converting the eighth to claim the set, a breakthrough that shifted the momentum against Coria’s stubborn baseline play. He built a 4-1 lead in the second only to see it evaporate, yet held firm to close the frame, winning 78 percent of his first-serve points—36 out of 46—to secure the victory. Now leading 3-0 in their head-to-head, the former No. 6 makes his Argentine debut with a second-round clash against Vit Kopriva looming.

Break points test returning fire

Berrettini leaned into heavy topspin forehands to push Coria deep, setting up inside-out backhands that stretched the Argentine wide on the slower surface. Coria countered with deep crosscourt passes and underspin slices, disrupting the Italian’s rhythm and forcing extended exchanges that amplified the crowd’s energy. That eighth break point conversion came via a sharp down-the-line backhand, Berrettini’s footwork steadying after months of rehab, turning frustration into a composed edge.

The psychological lift carried over, as Berrettini’s 1–2 patterns occasionally veered long in the first set’s heat, but his serve-volley touches in key holds kept Coria at bay. The Argentine, in his first match since August, scrambled with low-bouncing defenses, yet couldn’t capitalize on the Italian’s early misses. This grind revealed Berrettini’s clay adaptations—more spin variation, less outright pace—hinting at a player rebuilding rhythm for the swing ahead.

Second-set surge meets resistance

Building to 4-1 in the second, Berrettini exploited Coria’s second serves with aggressive returns, mixing crosscourt angles to open the court. The crowd’s roar swelled as the home player clawed back, forcing the Italian to dig deep with precise placement under mounting pressure. Closing 7-5 demanded mental fortitude, Berrettini’s holds anchoring the win as doubts from his layoff faded in the Buenos Aires humidity.

The victory sets a tone for his return, channeling Davis Cup grit into ATP consistency against Vit Kopriva‘s all-court style next. On clay that grips every shot, Berrettini’s power could pressure the Czech early, building toward a deep run if his body holds. This opener, more battle than blowout, underscores his readiness to climb back toward the top.

Local wins fuel tournament fire

Amid Berrettini’s push, sixth seed Camilo Ugo Carabelli opened his season with a 6-4, 7-6(3) win over Francisco Comesana in an all-Argentine duel, his steady topspin grinding out the tiebreak victory. Alejandro Tabilo edged Facundo Diaz Acosta 7-6(5), 6-3, saving both break points with inside-in forehands that pinned the local deep, setting up a meeting with defending champion Joao Fonseca. The Chilean’s counterpunching on clay could test the champion’s aggression in round two.

Juan Manuel Cerundolo dominated Daniel Altmaier 6-2, 6-2, his first win since last July’s Gstaad final, blending net approaches with crosscourt winners to seize control early. Roman Andres Burruchaga followed with a 6-2, 6-4 upset of Laslo Djere, varying pace to disrupt the Serb’s baseline game amid home cheers. Ignacio Buse outlasted Francesco Passaro 5-7, 7-5, 6-4 in a three-setter, while Tomas Barrios Vera advanced when Thiago Seyboth Wild retired at 6-4, 5-6.

Watch Highlights from Tabilo vs. Diaz Acosta:

These Day 2 results at the ATP 250 event pulse with Argentine energy, locals drawing from the crowd to counter international firepower like Berrettini’s. The mix of comebacks and home surges builds intensity, where spin control and mental edges on clay could crown a champion. Berrettini’s resilient start weaves into this, a signal of pressure forging paths forward in Buenos Aires.