Annual Report Matteo Berrettini 2022: Fragile Giant - Satisfactory
A year in the subjunctive: A lot was actually possible for Matteo Berrettini this year. But then something almost always came up.
by Jens Huiber
last edit:
Dec 18, 2022, 09:55 pm
Ah, Matteo. Everything was done in Wimbledon for a new edition of the big duel with Novak Djokovic, which the Serb won in the final in 2021. Who else should Nole contest the title than the man who had previously won the tournaments in Stuttgart (as a comeback after an operation on his batting hand) and in London's Queen's Club? But then: Berrettini delivers a positive corona test and withdraws from his potential highlight of the year.
That's not all: Because towards the end of the season there is the next drama: Italy, the big favorite for the Davis Cup title all year round, has to do without top man Jannik Sinner at the final tournament in Málaga. And Berrettini is only the cheerleader at the beginning. And then in the semi-finals against Canada to enter the competition. And losing the doubles alongside Fabio Fognini against Félix Auger-Aliassime and Vasek Pospisil in straight sets.
Berrettini not in Kitzbühel and Vienna
In the Davis Cup in September, Berrettini did particularly well in the intermediate round in Bologna, winning all three individual matches against Borna Coric, Sebastian Baez and Mikael Ymer. But somehow it shouldn't be this year.
So what remains positive besides the two championships at TC Weissenhof and in London? Right at the beginning of the year, Matteo made it into the semifinals of the Australian Open, but despite winning a set against Rafael Nadal, he actually had no chance there. In Gstaad it was enough to reach the final, but after the defeat against Casper Ruud Berrettini canceled the Generali Open in Kitzbühel because of general fatigue. A disappointment for Austrian tennis fans, who also had to do without Berrettini at the Erste Bank Open. The Roman couldn't play because of an injury suffered in the final in Naples (losing to Lorenzo Musetti).
All in all, Matteo Berrettini could have seen a lot more in 2022. But at 26 he is still young. Everything will be better next season. Annual rating: three, i.e. satisfactory.