Berrettini also skips Cincinnati. US Open in doubt, now it’s at a crossroads

Fourth forfait in a row for Matteo Berrettini. After skipping the 1000 of Toronto, the Roman tennis player will not even be in Cincinnati. Predivable, of course, but the doubts about what will be the future of the former number 6 in the world increase. What Berrettini had reconstructed in 2024, with three tournaments won and the return between the standard heads in the Slam, was swept away in 3 months. The 2025 of the “hammer”, from Madrid onwards, where he was injured for the umpteenth time in the abs, was a continuous step back, for the finalist of Wimbledon 2021. And to say that the worst seemed to be behind him: a Davis won by the protagonist, Zverev beaten in a beautiful challenge in Montecarlo, a good season on the cement after years. Then, on Earth, where last year had been a great protagonist with three tournaments won (Marrakech, Gstad and Kitzbuhel), the disaster, with the abdominal injury, the international played by tightening the teeth, the retirement in tears and then the tofait to Roland Garros. Finally, a season on grass thrown away, with the elimination in the first round of Wimbledon and a cap almost unrecognizable as an attitude on the field. In fact, in London the confession, not the first of his career: “I am tired, I have to decide what to do with my future”.

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After the English Slam, the Roman jumped, with Cincinnati, four tournaments in a row, and Gstad and Kitzbuhel were particularly heavy in terms of ranking, since he defended 500 total points for the victories of 2024. A choice that cost him a new collapse in the standings: now Berrettini is number 57 in the world, still far away from his standards. The doubt is now if there will be at the US Open, Slam where the Roman reached the semifinal in 2019, the first exploit of his career, but since it is practically not playing on the cement, presenting himself in New York without preparation is currently hard to imagine. In short, a nebulose present and an even more mysterious future. Little presence also on social media, where the last post dates back to weeks ago, some history on Instagram but nothing, at least so far, that makes you think of an imminent return. Last sightings not on a tennis court but in company with what would seem her current partner, Vanessa Bellini, former dancer of friends, with images of great feeling and complicity that is hoped will bring the light back to Matteo’s life. At 29, Berrettini is clearly at a crossroads of his career. Try to go up, for the umpteenth time, leave the vortex of injuries and drops in tension and morality, for yet another great return, or rethink the future.