Berrettini To Miss Bulk Of Clay Season
Berrettini To Miss Bulk Of Clay Season
Matteo Berrettini’s right-hand injury will sideline him for longer than first thought, the Italian World No. 6 announced on Thursday. After reaching the fourth round in Indian Wells, the Italian withdrew from Miami and underwent a minor operation on a right-hand injury in late March.
“Following advice from the medical experts, my team and I have decided that it is crucial I do not put time pressure on my recovery process,” Berrettini said in a post on his Instagram account.
Berrettini has now confirmed that he will miss the bulk of the European clay swing, pulling out of the ATP Masters 1000 events in Monte-Carlo, Madrid and Rome. That timeline will leave him out of action through mid-May.
“Withdrawing from these events, particularly Rome, was an extremely tough decision, however it is the right one to ensure many more years of competing at the highest level for the biggest trophies,” he added.
The 25-year-old reached the Madrid final in 2021, losing to Alexander Zverev in three sets, and reached the third round in his hometown tournament in Rome.
Berrettini, who has won three of his five ATP Tour titles on clay, has played just one event on the surface to date in 2022 — when he lost to eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz in the Rio de Janeiro quarter-finals, a reversal of their five-set Australian Open third-round thriller, won by the Italian.
Berrettini concluded his Instagram message on a positive note: “My recovery process is on track and I look forward to seeing you on court soon,” he wrote.