Jannik Sinner is in, Matteo Berrettini is on the fence: the Italian Tennis Federation explains its strategy ahead of Wimbledon
Jannik Sinner is certain to be in the main draw at Wimbledon, while Matteo Berrettini’s participation is still up in the air—though not due to injury concerns. Having put the disappointment of Roland Garros behind him, the world No. 1 has resumed intense training to be in top form for Wimbledon, where he will be defending the title he won in 2025. The situation is very different for the Roman, however, for whom the race against time has only just begun.
Berrettini, currently sits two spots outside the direct entry into Wimbledon’s main draw (he was four spots away before the official withdrawals of Carlos Alcaraz and Valentin Vacherot) and faces a real risk of having to go through qualifying to return to the 128-player main draw at the All England Club.
A complicated scenario, especially in light of his recent physical issues. After his withdrawal from Roland Garros, medical exams revealed no injuries, but the recovery process remains delicate, and three rounds of qualifying—with closely spaced, intense matches—would not be ideal for a player seeking consistency and confidence, and who, above all, must manage a body that has shown more than a few signs of fragility in recent months.
To avoid this scenario, the Italian Tennis Federation (Federtennis) has taken direct action. President Angelo Binaghi, interviewed by Sport Mediaset, announced the intention to request a wild card from the Wimbledon tournament organizers, citing a strong argument: Berrettini’s 2021 final appearance, one of the brightest moments in Italian tennis in the pre-Sinner era.
The problem is time: there are less than ten days until the start of qualifying, and the organizing committee is already evaluating the list of potential wild card recipients—a process traditionally highly competitive and often favoring British players, particularly young prospects on the circuit or veterans seeking one last chance on the London grass. Berrettini’s candidacy remains strong, but the final decision is by no means a foregone conclusion and could come down to the wire.
