"Last year was very tough": Matteo Berrettini opens up about fitness struggles in 2023, calls it the 'worst year' of his career

Italy’s tennis star Matteo Berrettini has opened up about difficulties last year. The 28-year-old is often described as one of the most talented players currently playing in men’s tennis in the singles category but has failed to produce the results that are expected of him.

One of the reasons has been Berrettini’s poor fitness which has caused him to stay out on the sidelines for a considerable amount of time. Last year was another season where the former world number six once again struggled with fitness concerns and ended up playing just 21 matches where he won 11 and lost 10.

Berrettini returned to the court much fitter this year, as he has played 37 matches and won 28 of them. He has managed to win three titles as well, the most recent of which was the Generali Open in July, where he defeated France’s Hugo Gaston in the final in straight sets with a score of 7-5, 6-3. The current world number 44 has been recently quoted in a report by Puntodebreak, in which he talked about how difficult it was to stay on the sidelines last year. Berrettini went on to state that 2023 was one of the ‘worst’ years of his career.

"Last year was very tough, one of the worst years of my career and my life as well,” he said. “When you can't do your job and what you love to do, then it's always a battle. That's why I'm appreciating every moment I have to spend on the court, perform, and give my best. I know it's a process. I've done a great job this year to reclaim my place in the ranking and I feel good, so I hope to have a great end to the season. It would be good to be among the top 32 at the end of the year and be a seed in Australia. That's one of the goals we set, but at the same time for me the most important thing is to be healthy and able to play, that's the most important thing."