Berrettini ko with Wawrinka in Arabia: in 2023 the hammer must strike again

Matteo lost in the exhibition match against the Swiss, his first singles match after his foot injury. The United Cup, at the end of December, will be a good test before the Australian January

A loss in three super tie breaks in an exhibition tournament leaves time running out. But anyhow: Matteo Berrettini came out immediately at the Diriyah Tennis Cup, in Saudi Arabia, against Stan Wawrinka. With the score of 5-10, 10-4, 10-6. A painless knockout, if it weren’t for the prize pool: one million dollars for the winner, 500,000 for the finalist, 250,000 for those who stop in the semifinals. Not even quarterfinals for Vincenzo Santopadre’s pupil, whose recovery is still in the work in progress phase. The beginning of 2023 is not that far away: now Berrettini will have to put himself in to get ready for the appointment.

THE INJURIES

The Hammer had not played a singles match since the final loss to Lorenzo Musetti in Naples. Tournament in which he accused the problem with his left foot, which forced him to stop yet another troubled year: the problems with his abs and right hand, in addition to the unfortunate positivity to Covid just before starting the Wimbledon tournament – in which he would have presented himself as a possible great protagonist after the victories on grass in Stuttgart and Queen’s – they conditioned the season of Berrettini, now 16th in the ATP ranking.

FROM MALAGA TO ARABIA

The surprise double played with Fabio Fognini in the semi-final of the Davis Cup against Canada showed Berrettini who is still understandably behind in his condition. Matteo supported the team during the away match in Malaga, trained intensely and found the field again. The defeat against Auger-Aliassime and Pospisil interrupted the blue dream, but the less than excellent performance of the Roman tennis player was more than understandable. The exhibition in Saudi Arabia, with some of the best players in the world, was a good opportunity to rediscover the right sensations in singles. But the defeat against Wawrinka, number 149 in the world, has already put an end to Berrettini’s singles tournament.

BETWEEN UNITED CUP AND AUSTRALIAN OPEN

The next appointment will be the United Cup, a new competition for national teams that brings together men and women and which assigns ATP and WTA points. Men’s Italy will be represented by Berrettini, Musetti and Vavassori: the Azzurri will play in Brisbane in the group stage with Brazil and Norway, starting on 29 December. A taste of what 2023 will be like, which will start with the usual tournaments approaching the Australian Open, scheduled from 16 January. Tournament in which Djokovic will be there again, as well as all the other big hungry players. Among the usual suspects and players who have exploded in recent times: Alcaraz, obviously, but also Rune and Auger-Aliassime, tennis players who now also have claims in the Grand Slams. To make his way through and get back to the top 10, the real Berrettini will be needed. The exhibition tournament is over, now we need to get serious. Tennis doesn’t wait, the hammer will soon have to strike again.

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