RG ’21 Flashback: FAA and Berrettini hit the practice courts

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Who knew, when good pals Félix Auger-Aliassime and Matteo Berrettini played practice sets ahead of Roland Garros six weeks ago, that they’d find themselves on No. 1 Court on the second Wednesday of Wimbledon.

Things did not go particularly well in that practice for the Canadian.

And the tournament mirrored that, as Auger-Aliassime lost to Andreas Seppi in the first round.

Berrettini, who got a walkover from Roger Federer in the round of 16, lost to Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinals.

And then he won at Queen’s Club. And given how good a grass-court season Auger-Aliassime also had, maybe it was written in the stars.

One difference between that practice and Wednesday’s match: their girlfriends, Ajla Tomljanovic for Berrettini and Nina Ghaibi for Auger-Aliassime – who are besties and cousins – did not sit together as they did on Court 4 at Roland Garros.