BERRETTINI: I’M ALWAYS COMING BACK, ALWAYS PUSHING FORWARD

BACK INSIDE TOP 50, ITALIAN AGAIN FEELING STRONG ON COURT

By Richard Osborn

He’s not the first, and he surely won’t be the last high-profile tennis player to struggle with injuries. But Matteo Berrettini has certainly had a rougher go of it than most.

The First Italian man to reach the quarterfinals of all four Grand Slams, and a Wimbledon runner-up in 2021, Berrettini has experienced everything from hip and abdominal issues to foot and ankle woes to abdominal strains and oblique tears, not to mention the hand surgery or chronic hip pain. He was off the tour for six months after rupturing a right ankle ligament at the 2023 US Open.

Given all he’s been through, all the ups and downs, the starts and stops, one can’t help but wonder if it’s dimmed his joy for his livelihood. Are there times when he’s ready put his racquet down and walk away from it all, or does he appreciate the game more than ever having so often had it taken away from him?

“I think it’s both,” said Berrettini, a Top-10 mainstay in the PIF ATP Rankings between 2019 and 2022. “Sometimes when an injury or some discomfort comes up, it’s tough, because you start to think, ‘Oh, no, not again!’ At the same time, I know that I’ve been there so many times and proved to myself that I can come back every single time. I’ve learned to accept that and just know that no matter what is happening, I’m always coming back, I’m always pushing forward, I’m finding the joy of having these tough challenges. It’s sometimes not only your opponent, but also your body. It’s who I am, it’s what I do, and I’m really proud of the way that I’ve faced all these things.”

Berrettini is anything but alone in this. Defending Cincinnati Open champion Carlos Alcaraz is still working his way back from a right wrist injury sustained in April at the Barcelona Open. World No. 1 and Sincaraz counterpart Jannik Sinner also withdrew from Cincy with a bothersome right knee. Then there’s Jack Draper, who can’t seem to catch a break these days. The snake-bitten Brit has been dealing with a long-term bone-bruise injury in his left arm, on top of the right knee issue that kept him on the sidelines for the clay-court season.

“I honestly feel for what they they’re going through, what they’ve been through,” Berrettini told CincinnatiOpen.com. “I got really close to Jack Draper the last couple of years. We’ve shared some great matches, some great finals. He’s a hell of a player.”

“It’s tough for me to see how many great players are struggling with injuries because I’ve been there and I know how tough it is. But these guys have great teams behind them, great families, and they have the love for the game. I’m always a big believer that once you’ve done something in your career, in terms of results or getting to a certain level, there’s always going to be a chance to come back. If you’ve done it once, I think you can always do it again. That’s my mentality.”