Matteo Berrettini, ranked 30th in the world, shared his emotions after being forced to retire from his match in Rome. The Italian player was unable to finish his third-round encounter at the Masters tournament against Casper Ruud, withdrawing at a score of 5/7, 0/2. He was visibly emotional, crying as he left the court.
Speaking at a press conference, Berrettini explained his decision:
“Probably yesterday when I woke up, I realized things were a bit more complicated than they seemed. But the love I have for this city, for this tournament, for my brother, for this sport, pushed me to try and go all the way.
Today, ten minutes before the start, I thought I wouldn`t be able to step onto the court. But I decided to try anyway. I was surprised by how my body reacted up to a certain point – but then I felt a sharp pain again. That was closer to the end of the first set, and from that moment on, I couldn`t stay in the game anymore. Unfortunately, I had to retire again.
Rome was one of my goals, and I didn`t want to give up. But I know how it ends: then you have to not play for three months, you flinch from pain at every sneeze… I didn`t want that to happen again. I think and hope I managed to stop in time.”
Berrettini`s withdrawal marks a disappointing end to his run in his home tournament, where he had hoped to perform well. His decision highlights the challenges athletes face when balancing the desire to compete with the risk of worsening an injury.
