Berrettini describes his ordeal: "I thought I would never feel good on a tennis court again"

Diego Jiménez Rubio | 31 May 2026 | 07.37

Matteo Berrettini, excited about his success at Roland Garros 2026. Photo: gettyimages

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Matteo Berrettini continues to regain sensations at Roland Garros 2026. The Italian defeated Francisco Comesaña in an epic battle of over five hours to advance to the round of 16 of the Parisian tournament, a result that goes beyond purely sporting achievement for a player who has spent the last years battling injuries, setbacks, and doubts about his ability to compete at the highest level.

After the match, Matteo Berrettini shared some of the most sincere reflections of the entire season. The Wimbledon 2021 finalist admitted that he had thought he would never feel good on a tennis court again, explained how he rebuilt his confidence over the past months, and revealed the importance of Thomas Enqvist's arrival to his team at one of the most delicate moments of his career.

This is what Berrettini said after his epic victory over Comesaña at Roland Garros 2026

A victory built on resilience

"I'm not exactly sure what made the difference. Perhaps the fact that I hadn't played this tournament in five years and just wanted to enjoy one more match here. When everything is so close, with match points going back and forth, in the end, it's a matter of nerves and also a bit of luck."

"Usually I remember absolutely everything that happens in my matches, but now I even struggle to reconstruct what happened. I only recall a few specific points. What I do know is that I fought from the first point to the last and ended up feeling good physically and mentally. That makes me very happy."

The emotion of proving he could still return

"After match point, many things came to mind. Probably the most important was realizing that in the last months and even in the last few years, I doubted myself too much."

"Although my family, friends, and team never stopped telling me that I still had tennis within me, I have to admit that there were moments when I thought I wouldn't be able to come back. I thought maybe I would never feel good on a tennis court again. That's why I got so emotional. Because I proved to myself once again that I can still do it, that I can still compete, fight, and enjoy playing tennis."

When the body and mind stopped aligning

"This sport takes time. It requires confidence, rhythm, and many hours of work. For a long time, I felt that my body was ready but my mind was not. Then it was the opposite: my mind was ready, but my body didn't respond."

"That's the most complicated part. To play your best tennis, you need everything to work together. At the end of last year, during the Davis Cup, I already felt very good physically. I also had a great preseason. However, I had abdominal problems again in Australia and then the doubts resurfaced. You start to wonder if your body will hold up or if everything will repeat itself."

"I've worked a lot to get out of that mindset. Now I trust my body again. Every match I've played this year, whether Challengers, Masters 1000, or any other tournament, has helped me build the confidence needed to get here."

The physical challenges that tested his faith

"External doubts have always existed. Since I was 12, people said I was too thin, that I didn't have the physique to go far, and that I wasn't prepared to compete at the highest level. I'm used to that."

"The hardest part was managing internal doubts. I never stopped believing in my tennis. What did happen is that there were moments when I stopped trusting that my body could endure with the necessary continuity to compete at the highest level. That's where the real fears arise."

"When you're afraid of feeling pain, discomfort, or an injury again, it's very difficult to compete freely. That fear conditions you a lot. That's why I've worked so hard to develop mental tools that allow me to live with it when it appears."

The decisive role of Thomas Enqvist

"The most important thing Thomas has done is restore a confidence I had lost. Every day he reminds me that I'm still one of the strongest players in the world."

"He doesn't say it just because. He says it because he sees my tennis, he sees the quality of my shots, and he knows the player I can be when I'm healthy. Constantly hearing that from someone like him has a lot of value."

"Since we met at the Laver Cup, he has always instilled incredible confidence in me. Even today, after losing the third set, he kept telling me that the fourth would be ours and to keep believing. That goes far beyond purely technical work. It's personal."

"The combination of Thomas, Alessandro, and the rest of the team is working very well. Each one brings something different to me, and together, they have gotten me to feel comfortable on the court again."

How he managed the most tense moments of the match

"When nerves kick in, the heart races, breathing gets harder, and everything becomes more difficult. It's a sensation I've known since I started playing tennis."

"Many times when a player gets tense, they stop playing with their whole body and start using only their arm. You stiffen up, try to force it too much, and make errors that you wouldn't normally make. I remember perfectly a forehand I missed in the tie-break because I was nervous. It was an easy shot to construct the point, and I missed it by a few centimeters."

"But that's part of this sport. After over five hours under the sun, it's impossible to expect to be completely lucid. The important thing is to accept that situation, keep being aggressive, and have the courage to continue seeking victory."

Confidence growing again in Paris

"I know what it takes to go far in a Grand Slam. Obviously, it had been a while since I found myself in these rounds, so it was also important to find balance and not solely rely on memories."

"I entered the tournament without the confidence I had a few years ago, but I feel like I've been building it little by little. Now I'm in the second week of Roland Garros, playing well, my weapons are working, and I feel physically prepared. All of that allows me to believe again."

Enjoying the big stages again

"My brother told me after the match that the atmosphere had been incredible. I heard the noise, felt the energy from the crowd, but I was so focused that I barely understood what was happening around me."

"The only thing I kept repeating to myself was that I deserved to be there, fighting in that way. That's how I like to play tennis. Just a few weeks ago, playing a match like this seemed nearly unthinkable to me. That's why I'm so happy to have fought until the end and even happier to have won."

The qualification of Matteo Berrettini for the round of 16 of Roland Garros 2026 represents much more than a mere victory. After years marked by injuries, setbacks, and doubts about his future, the Italian is once again feeling competitive on the big stages, and, most importantly, he believes in himself again. Paris is confirming that the road back has been long, but the former Wimbledon finalist still has a lot to offer in the elite of the world of tennis.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Berrettini describe su calvario: "Pensé que jamás volvería a sentirme bien en una pista de tenis"

Matteo Berrettini