Matteo Berrettini Opens Up About Jannik Sinner: “Then He Came Along…”

Matteo Berrettini discussed his current condition ahead of Wimbledon in an interview with GQ Italia: “I was disappointed not to be able to play in Stuttgart; it’s a tournament I have a very special connection with. I’ve been struggling quite a bit, but I’m happy with the work I’ve done over the past few weeks, and I’ll be ready for Wimbledon,” said the Italian player, who was forced to withdraw from Roland Garros during his quarterfinal match against Matteo Arnaldi.

The Roman tennis player feels confident despite his physical issues: “I arrived in Paris with little confidence because I was going through a difficult time, but match after match I found the right feel; I felt a surge, an energy exploding inside me.”

Berrettini reflected on his Wimbledon final against Djokovic, considered a watershed moment for Italian tennis and a precursor to the Sinner era: “After that summer, the perception of tennis in Italy really changed. Then Jannik Sinner came along and catapulted us into this reality where practically all anyone talks about is tennis, which is a wonderful thing. Before, tennis was just a footnote compared to other sports; I’m proud to be part of this movement.”

The Italian hopes to do well in London: “I’m still very hungry—you saw that in Paris. I need to take the right steps to get in shape, but I know it’s a tournament where I can have fun and do very well.”

Lorenzo Musetti’s withdrawal—which he announced via an Instagram post due to a muscle injury in his left thigh’s rectus femoris—has guaranteed Berrettini direct entry into the main draw without needing a wild card or having to go through qualifying. “My priority is to return to the court at 100%,” wrote Musetti, who hasn’t played since May 12 and is expected to make his comeback during the summer season on North American hard courts.