Matteo Berrettini, no dice: the resounding decision of the No. 6 Atp ranking leaves fans stunned.
Basically, there was no surprise. Not for those who had been able to read, at least, between the lines of his words. In an interview shortly after his defeat in the first round in Cincinnati, Matteo Berrettini had been clear. Perhaps discouraged by the loss suffered at the hands of Holger Rune, which, moreover, came after an extraordinary first set, the Roman had already wavered.
He had been clear about the imminent future and had made it clear early on that he was not sure what the next step would be. The return to the concrete was, perhaps, not up to his expectations, reasoning that the Roman must have thought it was time to give himself a few more days of preparation before flying to New York.
And so, quite simply, the 2021 Wimbledon finalist decided to forgo the next scheduled event. He had intended to participate in the Winston-Salem Open, scheduled to take place in North Carolina next August 18-24, but after the stage in Cincinnati he felt it was better to turn around and forfeit. Not because he doesn’t feel fit, as some had feared, but just so that he doesn’t waste energy, likely, before the time for the Us Open rolls around.
Berrettini’s forfeit: he will not be at the Winston-Salem tournament
The news did not in the least take by surprise, we said, those who had listened to the interview a couple of days after the defeat in Ohio. “It’s been a very busy summer, a lot of matches,” the former Atp No. 6 had said, ‘I haven’t made a decision yet (regarding the Winston-Salem tournament, ed.), I have to talk about it with the team. ’
The notice given by Matthew was then followed in recent hours by a statement issued directly by the director of the star-studded tournament. “With regret, we must inform you that Matteo Berrettini has withdrawn from the 2024 Winston-Salem Open. This season is long and the conditions can be grueling at times. We have had the opportunity to observe Matteo on his return journey and wish him the best of luck in his endeavors in New York.”
Berrettini’s date, therefore, slips to the upcoming Us Open. The Roman hammer was aiming to be seeded, but at this point there will be no more time or way to gain other useful ranking positions. And that is precisely why his decision has left fans stunned, who do nothing but repeat, on social media, that he had better stretch his legs a little more before jumping into the fray of a Slam.
