Matteo Berrettini vs Casper Ruud Prediction: Berrettini might secure Italy's semi-final spot

Italy's second group match will be against Norway, with Matteo Berrettini facing Norway's No. 1 rated player Casper Ruud on day six of the 2023 United Cup, which will take place on Tuesday, January 3.

Matteo Berrettini will be an important element of Italy's team if they are to win the United Cup. They defeated Brazil 3-2 in their first round, with Berrettini winning a vital singles match against Thiago Monteiro on Friday in Brisbane.

With the score at 1-1, Berrettini moved forward to take out Brazil's top-ranked male player, Monteiro. The two played for over three hours the previous time they met in Rio. While this time was likewise a marathon, Berrettini needed nearly two hours to defeat Monteiro's hopes.

Despite the fact that this was his first competitive match in exactly two months, the World No. 16 was in peak form. And his overall level was respectable. Berrettini did not face a single break point as he smashed 15 aces and needed to save a couple of set points in the second set tiebreak before winning 6-4 7-6.

Italy might get to the semifinals if they defeat Norway in the second tie.

Casper Ruud understands that in team competitions, he cannot bail out his nation on his own. Norway's most notable tennis player right now is World No. 3, and with his team losing 0-2 against Brazil in the first tie, he needed to win the third singles set.

Ruud outlasted Monteiro, winning 6-3, 6-2 in in 72 minutes. He claimed five of six break points, extending his winning streak over the Brazilian to 3-0.

A string of unforced errors in the opening set proved to be Monteiro's undoing, as Ruud took control of the match and won the first set. Monteiro answered by going up a break in the second set, but Ruud stormed back to win six games after falling down 2-0.

Berrettini and Ruud both had strong starts to their respective seasons. Berrettini, in particular, was overpowering with his serve, facing no break points and blazing double-digit aces. Ruud will undoubtedly have a lot of concerns about the return, especially if he can stretch the sets into tiebreaks, when Berrettini's serve will be under a lot of strain.