The round of 16 at the Erste Bank Open is taking shape. In the first Wednesday match on Centre Court, Matteo Berrettini (ATP 59) defeated Australian Alexei Popyrin (ATP 48) 7-6 (5), 6-3.

The opening set stayed on serve for a long time. At 5-4, Berrettini had a break point on Popyrin’s serve, but the Australian saved it and forced a tiebreak. There, the Italian quickly went up 4-1 before Popyrin took the next four points in a row. Then the momentum shifted again - Berrettini claimed the next three points and sealed the first set. “It’s never easy to play against a guy like him,” Berrettini said afterwards. “Winning the first set swung the momentum my way, and from then on it just kept getting better.”

In the second set, Berrettini couldn’t be stopped. With a break for 4-3, the 29-year-old set the course for victory, and a second break at 6-3 wrapped it up. He will face Britain’s Cameron Norrie in Thursday’s round-of-16 clash.

The Italian armada was also successful at the tournament’s second venue, the Marx Halle. Fabio Cobolli (ATP 22) defeated Czech Tomas Machac (ATP 31) in straight sets as well, 7-6 (6), 6-2. He could face compatriot Jannik Sinner in the second round - provided Sinner overcomes Germany’s Daniel Altmaier.