‘Matteo Berrettini is the only top player with a huge weakness’ insists Patrick Mouratoglou
Patrick Mouratoglou believes that Matteo Berrettini is the top ATP pro with the biggest weakness, his backhand.
While world number seven Berrettini is nicknamed ‘The Hammer’ for his huge serve and forehand, the 2021 Wimbledon finalist has a far weaker backhand side.
That aspect of his play is the biggest reason that the Italian is just below the level of generational contemporaries Daniil Medvedev, Alexander Zverev and Stefanos Tsitsipas, according to Serena Williams’ coach Mouratoglou.
“First, Matteo Berrettini is an incredible fighter and competitor,” the Frenchman explained on his YouTube channel pointing out the positives of Berrettini’s game and mentality.
“He refuses to lose.
“Watching [him play] I think ‘wow, tennis-wise there are guys who play the same [level] but they don’t have that.
“If you look at the top guys, they all have that.
“Zverev, Medvedev, Tsitsipas, Berrettini, they refuse to lose.
“The fighting spirit and their belief in the ability to win even in the most difficult situations is at the top.
“And that’s why they are where they are.”
Mouratoglou also mentioned how Berrettini is incredibly difficult to break due to his big serve and forehand before continuing on to the subject of the backhand.
“But, we also have to say that he’s the only top guy who has a huge weakness,” Mouratoglou added.
“His backhand is very weak.
“In the big matches against the best players it’s a big disadvantage.”
“He plays smart, [playing his backhand] to get a forehand on the next shot.
“And he has mastered the slice backhand.
“I put him in the same group as Medvedev, Zverev and Tsitsipas, because he is very consistent at the highest level, because of his ranking, and because he is a Grand Slam finalist.
“On the other hand, for me he is a bit under them because he has a big weakness.”
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