Berrettini, who completed his defence of the title he won on his debut last year with a 7-5, 6-4 victory over Serbia’s Filip Krajinovic, has now won nine straight matches on grass, following his win over Andy Murray in Stuttgart last weekend. In his past four tournaments on the surface, a run encompassing 21 matches stretching back to Queen’s last year, only Novak Djokovic has bettered him, the Serb coming from a set down to win the Wimbledon final last summer.

It is a compelling body of work, the most recent additions to which are all the more impressive for the fact that Berrettini is only a fortnight into his return from a three-month absence after undergoing surgery on his right hand in late March. His huge serve and flamethrower forehand mark him out as a natural threat on grass, yet it is the more overlooked aspects of the 6ft 5in Italian’s game – his biting sliced backhand, his blocked returns and chipped approach shots, the dexterity with which he utilises his formidable wingspan at the net – that truly distinguish him from the pack. Berrettini is a hybrid champion, a player who, in combining the big weapons that have become de rigueur in the modern game with traditional grass-court skills that are increasingly overlooked, has one foot in the present and the other in the past.

It does nothing to hurt Berrettini’s marketability that he also exudes a quiet charm and charisma. His engaging character, so apparent when he invited a ball girl who was standing over him with an umbrella to shelter beside him during a rain delay in his semi-final against Botic van de Zandschulp, was again in evidence after the final as he spoke with humility of what the victory meant to him.  

“It’s too many emotions,” said Berrettini. “The last thing that I expected was coming back from surgery and winning two titles in a row and defending my title here, one of the most prestigious tournaments that we have. I don’t want to cry, but I just cannot believe it.

“My team can tell you, I arrived in Stuttgart and I wasn’t feeling great, I wasn’t hitting the ball the way I wanted, the way I used to do, and I was like, ‘Guys, I think it’s going to be tough.’ But it went pretty well. I guess I am Italian, so I’m always complaining. I cannot complain now.”

Some monstrous early ball-striking from Berrettini threatened to make Krajinovic look like the grass-court novice he was before this week, when he registered his first wins on the surface. But having clubbed his way to two break points in the opening game, the Italian was denied by some clutch play from Krajinovic. The Serb underlined his resilience further when he immediately cancelled out a break in the fifth game, punching away a backhand volley to punish some sloppy play by Berrettini. 

Krajinovic was nonetheless forced to toil relentlessly on serve, in marked contrast with Berrettini, and at 5-5 the pressure finally told. Either side of some untimely backhand errors from Krajinovic, the Italian produced a brilliant flicked forehand winner and a lunging drop volley to secure a decisive second break. He was on his way.

Berrettini talked warmly afterwards of the tournament’s history, saying it gave him goosebumps to know that his name would now appear twice alongside those of the great champions of the past on the clubhouse wall. Having savoured his second victory at an event that he insist is an end in its own right, his focus will now switch to the bigger prize that lies ahead.   

“I think I couldn’t ask for a better start and preparation,” said Berrettini. “But this tournament wasn’t a preparation for Wimbledon. This is Queen’s. I came here to defend my title. Like I said, it is one of the most prestigious titles that we have. From next week, there is another goal.”

In the Halle final, Daniil Medvedev was beaten 6-1, 6-4 by Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz. The match was notable for the abrupt departure of Medvedev’s coach Gilles Cervara, who left his courtside seat early in the second set after the Russian world No 1 launched a verbal tirade in his direction. The match was later interrupted by a protester who ran on court and unsuccessfully attempted to tie himself to the net ,in an echo of a similar incident that occurred during the French Open final a fortnight ago. 

Medvedev later apologised to his wife, Daria, who was seated beside Cervara before the Frenchman’s hasty departure. 

“’Daria, thanks a lot for this week,” said Medvedev, who was also beaten in the ‘s-Hertogenbosch final last weekend. “Not easy to be with me on the court sometimes, but hopefully next time will be easier and much better.”

The finals of the WTA events in Birmingham and Berlin were both cut short by injury.

At the Birmingham Classic, Beatriz Haddad Maia won her second title in a week after China’s Zhang Shuai succumbed to a neck injury as she trailed 5-4 in the opening set. Haddad Maia, the Brazilian world No 32, beat former Wimbledon champion Simona Halep in the semi-finals and has now won 10 successive matches on grass.

In Berlin, Ons Jabeur claimed the third title of her career after Belinda Bencic suffered an ankle injury late in the opening set. Jabeur, who won her first title on grass in Birmingham last year before winning on the clay courts of Madrid last month, was 6-3, 2-1 ahead when the Swiss was forced to call it quits.

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For once, the tournament’s colossal winner’s trophy did not look disproportionately large in the hands of the champion, the towering Berrettini hoisting it over his head with the same apparent ease he has dispatched most of his opponents over the course of a week that bodes well for his tilt at Wimbledon. Few will relish the prospect of facing him in SW19, such is the range of an arsenal that includes not only a serve and forehand of irresistible power, but also a skidding sliced backhand, ideally suited to grass, and a delicate touch on the drop shot. Two of the Italian’s five titles have now come on grass.

Norrie, the only player to take a set off Berrettini all week, played with courage, conviction and no little intelligence, but was ultimately unable to withstand the top seed’s superior firepower as he slipped to a 6-4, 6-7 (5-7), 6-3 defeat. 

“It’s been an unbelievable week and if I think of [Boris Becker’s] name and my name, it’s crazy,” said Berrettini, the first Italian to win the title at Queen’s Club. “I was dreaming about playing this tournament I was watching when I was a kid and now I had a chance to lift the trophy, so it’s a dream coming true.”

There was a word too for Norrie, who was now drawn a blank in three finals this year after losing in Lyon and Estoril in the prelude to the French Open. “Cam is a great player,” said Berrettini. “This year he has shown how he can play on all the surfaces. He made finals, he’s playing great tennis and I’m sure he’s going to lift a title soon. I’m sure this guy’s going to lift a lot of trophies and he’s going to have a great career.”

Norrie said afterwards that Berrettini had simply played the big points better, and that felt about right. While Norrie fell short in his attempt to become only the second British player to win the event since the second world war, after Andy Murray, he can take heart from an excellent week’s work that will elevate him to 34th in the world rankings. With Rafael Nadal and Milos Raonic absent, that should be enough to earn him a seeding at Wimbledon in a week’s time.

“I’ve really enjoyed my tennis here and if you had told me before the tournament, I would have signed for the finals,” said Norrie. “It was a great week.” 

Berrettini’s ability to pump down serves at speeds in excess of 140mph meant Norrie’s hopes hinged first and foremost on protecting his own delivery. The concern for the Briton was that he has a tendency to lose rhythm on his ball toss, which can lead to double faults. He produced two in the fifth game, yielding an early break. With Berrettini landing 74% of his first serves, that was enough to determine the outcome of the opening set.

Yet it is not by fluke that Norrie has won 29 matches on the ATP Tour this season, and his response to the setback was admirable. Favouring depth and accuracy over power, the southpaw focused on finding the court with his first delivery and backing it up with smart shot selection and energetic court coverage. It was enough to gain a firmer foothold and, although he was forced to save two break points in the ninth game of the second set, he kept his nose in front to force a tiebreak.

Now Norrie was bouncing, hustling, scrambling back Berrettini’s first serve where he could and finding greater depth and penetration with his returns whenever he got a look at a second delivery. His approach reaped dividends. The Italian sent a forehand long behind his second serve to hand Norrie an early mini-break, and Norrie protected the advantage with some adroit serving, swinging the ball wide to the Berrettini backhand and working his way intelligently into the forecourt behind his groundstrokes. Serving at 3-6 down, Berrettini saved the first of three set points with a swingeing forehand and the second with an ace. On the third, however, Norrie took full advantage of a floated backhand slice, pounding a forehand beyond the Italian to claim the set with a gleeful roar.

Having conceded his first set of the week, Berrettini knew he was in a match. Norrie flirted with danger when he opened the fourth game with a double fault, but exploited some errant play from the Italian to recover, sealing the game with an ace. Further escapology was required when the Italian carved out two break points in the sixth game. Again Norrie was equal to the task, varying his service placement and forcing his way to the net to draw errors from his opponent.

Norrie was living dangerously, however, and in the eighth game Berrettini’s sustained assault finally told. Serving at 40-0, Norrie mishit two forehands and produced another costly double fault. A forehand pass exploded off Berrettini’s racket to bring up a break point, and when Norrie rolled a backhand into the net to concede the game, the Italian emitted the triumphant cry of a man who knew that he need only secure his 46th consecutive service game of the tournament to clinch the title. A 19th ace brought up three match points, and the title was his. 

Elsewhere, Ugo Humbert  beat world No 7 Andrey Rublev 6-3, 7-6 (7-4) in Halle to win his first ATP 500 title. It was the 31st-ranked Frenchman’s third career win following his victories at 250 events in Antwerp and Auckland last year.

“It is incredible. It is the best victory of my career,” Humbert said. “I am very proud because it wasn’t easy. I was a little bit tired, but I tried to stay focused on each point, and did what I could, so it is very nice.

“I tried to stay aggressive and take the ball early because in the baseline rallies it was tough, because Andrey was hitting the ball very hard. Physically, it was tough, and I tried to take my chances when I could, and I won.”

Ons Jabeur became the first Arab woman to win a WTA Tour title after beating Daria Kasatkina of Russia 7-5, 6-4 to win the Birmingham Classic. It was the first title of the 24th-ranked Tunisian’s career.

“I knew I had to go for it, I had to win this title to at least breathe, and give an example,” said Jabeur after her 28th win of the season. “There’s not a lot of Tunisian or Arabic players playing, so I hope this could inspire them, and I want to see more Arabic [players] and Tunisians playing with me on tour.”

There was another maiden title winner in Berlin, where world No 106 Liudmila Samsonova rounded off an extraordinary week with a 1-6, 6-1, 6-3 over fifth seed Belinda Bencic. The Russian qualifier, 22, learned after the match that she had been granted the final main draw wild card for Wimbledon.

“It’s unbelievable,” said Samsonova. “I didn’t expect it. I [did] dream it, but it’s amazing.”

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Norrie, who will face Matteo Berrettini in Sunday’s final after the Italian won 6-4, 6-4 against Alex de Minaur of Australia, becomes the first British player to reach the championship round since Andy Murray won the title five years ago. Take Murray out of the equation and you have to go back almost two decades to find the last British player to make the final, to when Tim Henman was beaten by Lleyton Hewitt for the second year in a row in 2002.

The 41st-ranked Norrie, one of the most improved players on the men’s tour, has already reached clay-court finals in Lyon and Estoril this year. The only other final appearance of his career was on a hard court in Auckland, where he grew up, two years ago. He has yet to win a title.

“It hasn’t sunk in yet,” said Norrie, who beat the British teenager Jack Draper in the last eight. “I think I played very, very good today, I was extremely clutch on some big points, and I’m so pleased to be through to the final here. I can’t even describe it, it’s nice to get over the line. 

“It’s a huge tournament for me and one of my biggest achievements so far. I couldn’t be more pleased with myself.”

Norrie’s afternoon began inauspiciously when he conceded his opening service game with two unforced errors and a pair of double faults. He was denied a break point in the fourth game when a Shapovalov groundstroke skidded off the service line, but a flurry of unforced errors from the Canadian helped Norrie to a love break in the sixth game, and from there the Briton grew in confidence. 

A Shapovalov double fault brought up a set point for Norrie at 6-5. He seized the opportunity with a running backhand pass that wrong-footed the world No 14, sending him tumbling to the grass. An almost identical passage of play earned Norrie the decisive break at 4-3 in the second set, Shapovalov picking up a low half-volley only to slip as Norrie raced on to a backhand.

Norrie will be the third British player Berrettini has faced this week. The ninth-ranked Italian beat Andy Murray in the last 16 and Dan Evans in the quarter-finals, and has yet to drop a set. Berrettini pushed Novak Djokovic to a fourth set in the French Open quarter-finals last week, and his best moments have come predominantly on clay. Yet he won the Stuttgart title on grass two years ago and his 140mph serves and howitzer of a forehand pose an obvious threat on the surface. Norrie suggested he would consult Murray and Evans for advice on how to play the 6ft 5in Roman. 

“I have watched him a little bit throughout the week,” said Norrie, whose efforts will now propel him to at least 34th in the rankings, enough to earn a seeded position at Wimbledon. “He’s got a huge serve, he’s one of the best players on the tour at the moment, good forehand as well and likes the drop-shot. So maybe I’ll have a chat to Evo and Andy to see if they have any tips for me.”

Berrettini had all the answers against De Minaur, who delved deeply into his box of technical and tactical tricks but could make scant impression against the top seed. A break of serve in the third game proved decisive for Berrettini in the opening set, and though De Minaur fought well to stave off break points in the fifth game of the second set, the Italian broke again in the ninth game before serving out. He becomes the first Queen’s Club debutant to reach the final since Boris Becker in 1985, and the first Italian to make the title round since Laurence Tieleman in 1998.

Meanwhile, Andrey Rublev will contest the first grass-court final of his career at the Halle Open after beating qualifier Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-1, 3-6, 6-3. The world No 7 will face Ugo Humbert on Sunday after the Frenchman defeated Felix Auger-Aliassime, conqueror of Roger Federer earlier in the week, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7-5).

On a busy day in Birmingham, where a Friday washout meant two rounds had to be played in one day, Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur overcame Anastasia Potapova 6-4, 6-0 in the quarter-finals before winning her semi-final against Heather Watson 6-3, 6-3. Watson had earlier beaten Donna Vekic, the third seed, to become only the third British player to make the last four at the event.

Jabeur will face Daria Kasatkina in the final after the 35th-ranked Russian saw off qualifier Tereza Martincova 6-4, 2-6, 6-0 in the last eight and CoCo Vandeweghe, the former world No 9, in the semi-finals, 6-2, 6-4.

In Berlin, Liudmila Samsonova continues to make waves after beating Victoria Azarenka 6-4, 6-2. The 106th-ranked Russian qualifier will face Belinda Bencic in the final after the Swiss fifth seed saw off Alizé Cornet of France 7-5, 6-4. “I’m sure it’s going to be a tough match because she plays very good on this surface, and she’s a good player, said Samsonova, 22, ahead of her first career final.

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It was a small but significant step for the former Wimbledon champion, and it clearly meant the world to him. Murray, who has suffered repeated setbacks and niggles since having his hip resurfaced two and a half years ago, said afterwards that he has learned to treat every match as though it might be his last.

“I’m always sort of telling myself, and maybe it’s not the best mindset, but each match could be my last one that I play now,” said Murray. “I want to make the most of every match that I play and each tournament that I get the chance to compete in.” 

His enduring passion for the sport was similarly evident when he was earlier asked at courtside how it felt to be competing again. “I love it, I love playing tennis,” said Murray, briefly overwhelmed with emotion.

There was a nervous moment for Murray in the third game when his right leg gave way as he attempted to set off in pursuit of a Paire backhand. The Scot clambered gingerly to his feet along the baseline, but any fears that he may have further aggravated his groin were quickly allayed. Murray broke to love in the next game, scrambling to play a vintage running forehand pass, and stayed solid on serve to see out the set.

The 46th-ranked Paire, an unorthodox and often volatile character with a fine backhand and excellent touch, is capable of brilliance. But the Frenchman has struggled to cope with a life of empty stadiums and bio-secure bubbles, and has barely won a match all year. He was thus the perfect opponent for Murray, who broke in the fifth game of the second set and had only to keep the ball in play from there, as Paire became increasingly disinterested. Murray will now face a sterner test in the shape of Matteo Berrettini, the top seed and world No 9. 

“Berrettini is obviously a top player, top seed here, and had a very strong French Open,” said Murray. “I need to play one level up from today if I want to do well.”

There was more good news for Britain as Dan Evans made an assured start to the grass-court season with a 6-4, 6-4 win over world No 67 Alexei Popyrin. “It was great to be back,” said the 25th-ranked Evans, seeded sixth.

“It was a great atmosphere. Good to be back after so long on the grass in front of a very nice crowd. We’re not full, but we’re getting there.”

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