Berrettini and the constant struggle against his body: "It's not easy to go beyond the pain"

Carlos Navarro | 29 Aug 2024 | 13.12

Matteo Berrettini celebrates in Flushing Meadows. Source: Getty

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Not too long ago, Matteo Berrettini reached the final rounds of Grand Slams, striking fear into a large part of the circuit. His arsenal? All you could ask for: a serve that was a true cannon, a forehand that wreaked havoc, and a sliced backhand as a wild card to surprise opponents. Despite his limitations, which were also clear to all, the Italian was part of the absolute elite... until his body decided to punish him, keeping him away from the noble part of the circuit.

It has been a tough road for Matteo to return to who he once was. In fact, he still sees himself far from it. However, there are signs of hope that allow him to face the future optimistically. His performance in this latest US Open 2024 proves this: what for many could be a disappointing loss against Taylor Fritz (only winning 8 points on return and not taking a single set) is a step forward in the process for him, a match of which he can be very proud considering all the circumstances he has experienced in recent days (which, of course, we were unaware of).

"It was a shame not being able to train and play as much as I would have liked before the US Open. I had phlebitis" (an inflammation that causes a blood clot in a vein, usually occurring in the legs)"in a calf vein. I didn't even know what it was, another disease to the list, but fortunately, now I am fine", explained the Italian to Ubitennis, putting his level into context and making it clear that for him, just being able to compete is already a great victory.

"I am proud of being able to step onto the court and play. Looking at my history, it is not easy for me to push beyond the pain and discomfort: there is always the fear of doing worse. However, that wasn't the reason I lost, Fritz played much better than me. I would like to watch the match again and analyze it carefully, but I don't remember two unforced errors in a row on his part. I didn't serve as usual, and he returned well, so he deserves congratulations. I fought with all I had, but when the opponent plays better, there's little one can do", stated the Italian.

PLEASED WITH HIS SEASON AND EXCITED ABOUT THE FUTURE

Matteo also took the opportunity to review a year where he triumphed in minor tournaments (three ATP titles in Marrakech, Gstaad, and Kitzbühel), but also faced periods of injuries and was unable to make a breakthrough in higher-level tournaments. He mentions feeling "unlucky" to face Sinner as early as the second round of Wimbledon, as he believed he could have gone further.

"In the last year and a half, I have played very few high-level matches. Perhaps if the draw had been different, I could have faced Jannik in Wimbledon later. I played few tournaments, couldn't compete in Madrid, Rome, and Paris, my favorites. However, the year so far has been very positive: I occasionally check the Race, compare how many tournaments others have played versus mine, and it's not a trivial matter". Matteo will now head to the Asian tour, continuing his season in Hangzhou, Tokyo, and Shanghai. Will he be able to rediscover the consistency and regularity he seeks? There's still time... with the goal of being a seeded player at the 2025 Australian Open in mind.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Berrettini y la constante lucha frente a su cuerpo: "No es fácil ir más allá del dolor"