By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Thursday July 6, 2023

 

The first Italian to ever play a Wimbledon final in 2021, Matteo Berrettini is pushing himself to play despite questions about readiness.

Photo Source: Getty

By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Thursday July 6, 2023

Matteo Berrettini was the embodiment of the word undercooked when he showed up at Wimbledon. He missed Roland-Garros due to an ab injury, got shellacked by Lorenzo Sonego in his only pre-Wimbledon grass court match, pulled out of Queen’s Club and showed up at SW19 with very little hope that he would be fit enough to compete.



Now, he’s into the third round, and hoping for more.

Berrettini defeated Lorenzo Sonego in four sets on Thursday and backed that up with a dominant 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 win over Alex de Minaur on Friday.

“Coming back from an injury, it’s never easy, especially when you’ve maybe experienced the ‘worst’ period of your career results-wise,” he said on Thursday. “Last year my coach is always telling me I spoiled myself with the fact that I came back after hand surgery and I won back-to-back titles on grass. I had a lot of expectations.”

Berrettini, who hammered 17 aces in his 6-7(5), 6-3, 7-6(7) 6-3 three-day odyssey against Sonego, says he has turned up for Wimbledon with virtually no practice.

“I didn’t know if I was ready or not,” he said. “I didn’t practice much. I didn’t serve much. Like what you’re supposed to do before a tournament, before a Grand Slam… At the same time, my will of playing was bigger than my preparation. I was like ‘Okay, let’s see what I can do. I know in my heart I want to play this tournament, doesn’t matter the result.'”

After improving to 123 lifetime at Wimbledon on Day 5, Berrettini says he feels better than he thought he would. Maybe the 2021 runner-up can catch lightning in a bottle and make an impact on the top half of the draw.

He could face Alexander Zverev, who is currently battling with Japan's Yosuke Watanuki in the third round. After that, potentially Carlos Alcaraz. A tough section to say the least.

The good news is the Berrettini’s body is, for now at least, holding up. And for the moment that’s enough to make him smile.

“I actually felt really good on court physically,” he said. “That’s why I’m happy. Unless you try, you’re never going to know. Sometimes in the past I stopped before because I felt my body wasn’t ready. This time I kind of forced it a little bit. Now I’m feeling good. Was worth it.”