Berrettini and an explanation for his injury ordeal: "My problem is that I think too much"
The Italian makes an emotional portrait of what it means to be a professional tennis player and explains what goes through his mind each time he feels pain after the constant injuries suffered.
Matteo Berrettini is one of the most paradigmatic cases of how talent sometimes cannot overcome the limitations imposed by the body. The Italian has been a victim of an endless spiral of injuries for many years, which has hindered his attempts to return to the competitive level that took him to the top-10 and Grand Slam finalist status. His reflections on this during the ATP Masters 1000 Paris 2026 have moved the world.
After overcoming a tightly contested first round against Nakashima, the charismatic Italian tennis player spoke to the microphones of TennisChannel to discuss in depth how injuries have influenced his mindset when facing unexpected events. At 30 years old, Matteo Berrettini still has time to dream of achieving the levels of success his tennis allows.
This was Matteo Berrettini's reflection on injuries and his tennis career
Berrettini's preference for fast courts
"I grew up playing on clay. I remember that the first times I competed on fast courts, I didn't like them very much, especially because of my forehand and the effects I gave to my serve. I used to use the topspin serve much more."
"Here, obviously, the sliced serve works a bit better, and the topspin effect doesn’t grip as much. I have had to adapt over the years."
"Of course, grass is my favorite surface, so I would say that courts like this suit my tennis very well. But at the same time, anything can happen. Just one break is enough for a match to change completely."
"I think it all depends a lot on nerves, on being able to control them, and on trying to do the right things at each moment."
Learning to manage injuries and how to listen to the body
"Now I know my body a little better and I know when I can push and when not. But I think the mental aspect is very undervalued."
"When you get injured and feel pain, your mind starts to run around a lot." Before, I always thought that everything depended on whether I felt good or not, but now I've learned to stay calm and really try to listen to what my body is telling me."
"When you get injured often, it is evident that your brain reacts automatically to any pain and thinks something is wrong. But what we do is very demanding, both for the body and the mind. Sometimes you just have to accept it and live with it."
"I guess that’s what I’ve learned over all these years, after so many withdrawals and injuries. At the same time, it’s part of me and who I am. Accepting it has helped me a lot during these last weeks and especially throughout this year."
Thinking too much is Berrettini's enemy
"I would say I'm someone who thinks too much. I have a lot on my mind and I feel things very intensely. I like being this way, but sometimes it doesn’t help me in what I do."
"On a court like this, you don't have to think too much or get too carried away by emotions. You just have to follow your instinct."
"It's funny how sometimes you see a character from an anime or a movie and you latch onto a phrase that can help you process certain situations. Sometimes things happen in life, and you need to stay busy to not think too much about them."
"Our life goes by very quickly. I always say that a year for us equals seven years, because we travel so much and so many things happen that, when the season ends, you sit down and think: How many flights have I taken and how many things have happened!"
"These experiences help me disconnect a bit from this world that I love, but that can also become too intense. Feeling things is positive, but sometimes I wish I could switch my brain off a bit and enjoy moments without overthinking them."
Matteo Berrettini shows total honesty in statements that clearly demonstrate at what point in his career the Italian player finds himself. His tennis responds to every challenge, but not so much a battered body that needs to be cared for and, above all, brought into harmony with the mind. The Italian will seek to stay alive in the ATP Masters 1000 Paris 2026, where he could face Alcaraz.
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Berrettini y una explicación a su calvario de lesiones: "Mi problema es que pienso demasiado"