Matteo Berrettini was once one of tennis’ hottest prospects, but injuries curtailed what was a once-promising career during his prime years.
Now 29 years old, the Italian is in the midst of yet another comeback, having seen his 2023 year completely blighted by physical ailments.
But even when excitement and momentum seem to build, there always seems to be a fresh setback. Even this year, when Matteo Berrettini has been relatively present on the tour again, he was forced to miss both the French Open and the US Open, meaning he had missed seven majors in the last four years.
However, despite setback after setback, he remains undeterred, and has sought to find joy through the past 11 months whilst battling injuries.
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Speaking to the press just yesterday after he had played another big hand in navigating Italy to a third-straight Davis Cup final, he touched upon where he sees his current level of tennis.
Despite a battling year, he remains positive, even pointing out some specific matches where he felt his level was returning.
Berrettini noted: “I feel pretty confident right now. I was practising really well. When I came back and I didn’t play for a month and a half, I started practising with the best guys on tour. I was feeling like I never stopped, right?
“I think my tennis is there. It’s always been there. Tennis, it’s so nice. The beauty of it is that it’s a mix of factors, right? It’s a mix of confidence, physical condition, mental condition, conditions in general in the tournament.
“It’s not a secret that I always struggle a little bit more at the end of the season indoors. I like to play on clay a little bit more. I like to play on grass a little bit more. This year I completely skipped that part.”
He finished by stating: “I think my tennis is there. I proved it to myself this year when I played Draper, when I played Novak, when I played Zverev, de Minaur, Fritz. They were really good matches. I think my tennis is there; I just need a little bit of consistency.
“I never stopped believing about my level really.”
Matteo Berrettini could be a dark horse in 2026
Whilst this has been a claim made for years now, 2026 feels like the first year where Berrettini might actually be able to come good on the promise of a good season.
After all, he has crept back up to 56th in the world rankings and is just a couple of good runs away from sneaking into a seeded spot for the Grand Slams.
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The former world number six certainly deserves that, given he clearly boasts the talent to be a threat for most events he enters.
Having reached the Wimbledon final as recently as 2021 and the semi-finals of the Australian Open the following year, that quality has been justified on the biggest stages.
If he can finally stay fit and translate his fine Davis Cup form into 2026, Berrettini will almost definitely be a dark horse ready to upset some top seeds throughout the year.
