Matteo Berrettini has said he has fully recovered from an injury which forced him to dramatically pull out of the ATP Finals in Turin last month.
The world No.7 was playing against Alexander Zverev in the season-ending tournament in his home country for the first time in his career. After pushing the German in a closely fought opening set, disaster struck early in the second frame when Berrettini suffered an abdominal injury which forced him to retire from the match. A later medical evaluation confirmed that he was no longer able to play in the tournament and was replaced by Jannik Sinner.
“For those who have known me for a long time, you know how much it takes on an emotional level when I go out on the court,” Berrettini said during an interview with Sportface. “Playing the Finals in Italy was something I thought was impossible, having qualified and deserving to be there but not being able to take advantage of it, it was hard.”
“There have been some crying, but if I look back at the year I realize it was good.” He added.
Prior to the abdominal setback, Berrettini has enjoyed a largely successful 2021 season where he achieved a win-loss record of 41-12 on the ATP Tour. He won two titles in Belgrade and at Queen’s to increase his career tally to five. In the majors the 25-year-old broke new territory at Wimbledon by reaching his first final and became the first Italian man in history to do so. He also reached the quarter-finals at both the French Open and US Open.
As his country’s highest ranked tennis player, Berrettini has had to contend with a surge of interest in him by both fans and brands. His endorsements include Lotto, Head, Peugeot, Colavita and Capri Watch. On Instagram he has one million followers, as well as 24.6K on Twitter.
“I am a reserved type, I like being in public, but sometimes the lines are crossed a little,” he said of dealing with fame. “People in the restaurant with the phone inside make a video, it’s not unpleasant, but I wouldn’t do it. It happens to famous people, I try not to be too much one who likes notoriety, I don’t go looking for these things. In Italy it is a bit complicated to do things. I do not want to complain, but if I want to go to dinner with my family, it has become complex, but it is part of the sportsman I have become.”
Berrettini is currently tuning up his game ahead of the new season which will get underway in Australia during the first week of January. Players participating in the Australian Open are required to be double vaccinated against COVID-19 in line with a government health mandate in the region unless they qualify for a medical exemption. Recently France’s Pierre-Hughes Herbert became the first player to publicly say he would not be playing in the event due to not being double jabbed.
Asked about the debate over the entry requirements, Berrettini says he backed the vaccination policy if it avoids the prospect of having to be in quarantine for two weeks which was the case for players at this year’s tournament.
“I have my own ideas about vaccines and what is right for me. Last year doing two weeks of quarantine was difficult and I do not wish it on anyone, if the solution was to get vaccinated to avoid all this, then I think it is right, but it is a complex speech that opens many brackets. For me it is the right thing to do to get the world going again.” He commented.
Now he has proven he has what it takes to challenge for Grand Slam titles, Berrettini acknowledges that he wants to improve his game further in the coming months. The Italian states that he has ‘many goals’ but there is one in particular he would like to achieve in 2022.
“I want to lead Italy to win the Davis Cup,” he said. “It’s a goal, I’ve never hidden it. We have a very strong and varied team. I have followed the games of the last edition from a distance, and we have seen that the group is united and can do well against anyone.”
It will be a team competition which Berettini will start his 2022 season at. During the first week of January he will lead Italy in the ATP Cup which will take place in Sydney.
