Matteo Berrettini has had many physical problems in recent years

Matteo Berrettini has had many physical problems in recent years and he could not stay at the top of the men’s tour. The 2021 Wimbledon finalist had sunk into the ATP ranking last year and wondered if he still had the strength to continue playing tennis at the highest levels.Matteo Berrettini© Clive Brunskill / Staff Getty Images Sport

Matteo’s body has been subject to many injuries and it was not easy for him to handle these mentally difficult situations. The Italian player has worked hard in recent months, as well as replacing his long-time coach Vincenzo Santopadre with Francisco Roig. Berrettini achieved very good results in 2024, having won three ATP titles (respectively in Marrakech, Gstaad and Kitzbuhel). The former Top 10 player also reached the final in Stuttgart, losing to Jack Draper after winning the first set.

The Italian had dreams of making it far to the Wimbledon Championships, where he reached the final three years ago, but had to give up on his compatriot Jannik Sinner in the second round. The match between Berrettini and Sinner on the Centre Court was certainly one of the most spectacular of this edition of the Championships.

Berrettini lost to Rune

Matteo didn’t shine in Cincinnati this week and was eliminated at his debut by Hoger Rune. Berrettini will not be among the top seeds at the 2024 US Open. Matteo Berrettini’s run at the Masters 1000 in Cincinnati is over. The Italian tennis player, after winning the 250 tournaments in Gstaad and Kitzbuhel, stops immediately in North America, defeated in the first round by the young Danish talent Holger Rune.Matteo Berrettini© Clive Brunskill / Staff Getty Images Sport

Once again – as happened at Wimbledon – Berrettini pays the classes that forced him to face a Top 20 and in case of victory would take him to the third round, probably, against the Spanish champion Carlos Alcaraz. Condition not yet at 100%, Matteo starts well and manages to win the first set then collapses at the distance and Rune dominates the second partial. In the third and decisive set Berrettini starts badly, Holger immediately makes the break and thus gets an important victory. Even the Dane did not live a simple moment and this victory is moral.

Despite the defeat, Matteo Berrettini still wins an important and curious record, beating compatriot Jannik Sinner. Berrettini won 21 consecutive sets during the tour, beating Sinner’s previous record of 20. While Matteo gave in at the first round of Cincinnati Jannik managed to win instead despite a rather precarious condition. The Italian ace has adjusted in two sets the American Michelsen and thus found additional matches to face to improve his preparation. In the round of 16, the world’s number one will face Australia’s Jordan Thompson, who won in two sets over Sebastian Baez.

Matteo pays tribute to Djokovic

Just before the start of the Masters 1000 in Cincinnati, Berrettini was a guest on the podcast hosted by former American champion Andy Roddick. During the interview, Matteo paid tribute to Novak Djokovic: “Talking about Novak and what he’s accomplished, it’s incredible. I’m getting goose bumps. I don’t know how he does it. He’s a cyborg because at 37, he still plays at this level. Personally, I don’t know if I’m going to play again at 37, because of my injury history, I don’t know.”Novak Djokovic© Getty Images Sport – Clive Brunskill

Berrettini also reflected on the excellent moment of Italian tennis: “Jannik, Lorenzo and the others are still so young. When I was their age, I wasn’t even in the top 100! In Italy, we are living in a fantastic time. Football is the national sport. But now, when there’s an important match like me against Jannik or Lorenzo, when Musetti plays for the bronze medal, or Jannik in the final of the Australian Open, the country stops for a while. And then we also won the Davis Cup, which had a real impact.”

Matteo was also one of the protagonists of the Netflix series ‘Break Point‘: “Personally, it was a good experience. Before doing it I was like if I do it I will do it all the way. I am not going to cut anything unless I’m too pissed and don’t wanna talk to anybody, even my coach. I don’t like cameras around me but I was like, you guys could see it. My room was a mess.”

Berrettini will have to hope for a favorable draw at the 2024 US Open, where he reached the semi-finals in 2019. During last year’s edition, Matteo had a serious ankle injury and had to skip the last part of the season. The Italian will try to be among the top seeds at the 2025 Australian Open.