Written by Richard Pagliaro | @Itenisi_Manje | Wednesday, May 8, 2024
Rome took another battle today.
Matteo Berrettini, who recently battled tonsillitis, officially withdrew from Rome today.
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Berrettini joins the world number 2 and Italian Davis Cup champion Jannik Sinner in bringing out the Eternal City.
The 95th-ranked Italian, who won his first ATP title in nearly two years in Marrakech last month, was upset to meet the media in Rome today to announce his retirement.
“I’m not ready to do well and give my best on the court,” said Berrettini. “I tried everything because this competition is important to me. I have to put my heart, I can say, use my mind a little, think about what is most important to me, which is my life and not to get injured again. , not being away from the courts for months.
“It’s very sad that I have to go out. Just think about this tournament in 2025 and I hope that nothing will happen. Maybe I wish that would happen and nothing would happen. Another sad thing for me is to pull out.”
A 2020 Rome quarterfinalist, Berrettini has not played a domestic tournament since 2021 when he reached the round of 16 losing Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Injuries and illnesses have plagued the 28-year-old Berrettini so much that he sometimes wonders if he is a victim of voodoo.
“Sometimes I think there’s a voodoo culture going on against me (laughs), obsession,” Berrettini joked. “Then the logical part takes over. It’s very difficult because like all of us, in every job, in everything we do, you tend to make a plan.
“We decided to stop to play against Munich, to prepare well for Madrid and Rome. Then the plan fell apart. It’s hard to make a plan, feel good, then go back down. You lose confidence. You end up asking yourself not how you will play but if you will play and change the way you look at the competition that’s what bothers you the most.”
Limited to seven games this season, the 95th-ranked Berrettini said dealing with the rash of injuries can be tiring at times, but he is trying to keep a clear head and his commitment to a healthy comeback.
“You lose a lot of energy to control yourself, to take medicine, to see how you are every day,” said Berrettini. “Sometimes I feel tired because of this situation.
“Then I stopped for a while, cleared my mind, and I think I’m willing to face all this because playing is what I love to do. And playing here especially. So I made an effort and I will continue to do so.”
Photo credit: Julian Finney/Getty
