Berrettini will not return to the court, as had been speculated in light of the entry list, at the Indian Wells Masters 1000.
He knew full well, the moment he decided to call a press conference, that he would be tarred – rightfully so – with all kinds of questions. And he also knew very well that he would have to give quite a lot of explanations, since for several months he stood by in silence without anyone being aware of what he intended to do and what his problem really was.
Tuesday’s meeting, then, served to bring some clarity-it was about time-about his personal situation. On what, indeed, caused him to stay put for so long. The portrait of Matteo Berrettini that came to light thanks to the press meeting is that of a tennis player who was lost, but who perhaps has finally found himself again. A tennis player who only dreams of starting to play again and who is in no hurry. He has no intention of rushing things, but instead taking as much time as he needs to get back on track.
He will not return to Indian Wells, although he was listed as a qualifier for the Masters 1000 to be played, in the coming weeks, in the California desert. The basic idea, however, is basically that: rather than throwing himself into the leo pit and going down to certain defeat (if only, precisely, because of the long time he has been stuck in the pits), he prefers to start from the bottom again.
Berrettini, this is the date to circle in red on the calendar
He and his team plan to break the ice in Phoenix at the “luxury” Challenger hosted by Arizona each year. It will begin on March 12 and that, at this point, is the date to mark in red on the calendar.
After stretching a bit there, he will play in Miami, he explained in the press conference. Without, however, rushing things, we said. “We go day by day, week by week – these are Berrettini’s words – I feel better and better. Then the whole season on clay.”
Finally, a necessary passage on the “yellow” of the Australian Open. Matteo was in Melbourne, but on the eve of the opener he had decided, as will be remembered, to withdraw. “The protected ranking is something that came over time, at some point we realized we needed time to come back and so I think it will start in Phoenix. At the Australian Open I felt good, then I don’t know if the conditions, the heat, the fact that I hadn’t played for so long, we realized I wasn’t ready. The only priority was not to come back from Australia injured, at some point we said, okay let’s stop for a moment. I had never been able to train a month in a row. “