Matteo Berrettini couldn’t enjoy Italy’s Davis Cup triumph last year as Jannik Sinner enjoyed the tennis limelight.
Matteo Berrettini and Jannik Sinner (via Super Tennis)
Italian tennis star Matteo Berrettini has shared an important conversation he had with Jannik Sinner after last year’s Davis Cup win. The 2021 Wimbledon finalist couldn’t participate in Italy’s Davis Cup victory in 2023 due to injuries.
Last year, despite the achievement, Berrettini was seen looking down in the press conference, appearing weak. However, that expression was not seen 12 months later as he looked fresh and energized for what is to come.
Back in 2021, Berrettini was the sole driving force of Italian tennis. He reached the Wimbledon final and broke into the top 10 for the first time in his career.
FS Video
However, the pressure of being the sole Italian tennis star is off his shoulders as Sinner and Lorenzo Musetti seem to have taken the burden. Musetti reached his first Grand Slam semifinal at Wimbledon this year before winning the Olympic bronze medal in Paris.
With Rafael Nadal’s retirement, the golden era of men’s tennis is coming to an end. Many feared that the sport might lose its shine after the Big Three—Nadal, Roger Federer, and Novak Djokovic—stepped away. However, the rise of young stars like Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner has brought new excitement to the game.
Alcaraz became a star in 2022 and solidified his status by defeating Djokovic in the 2023 Wimbledon final. This year, though, belonged to Sinner. The Italian reached the top ranking, won two Grand Slam titles (the Australian Open and the US Open), claimed three Masters 1000 titles, and helped Italy defend their Davis Cup title. His 73 wins and 92.4% win rate made it one of the most dominant seasons in modern tennis.
Sinner has excelled on hard courts, winning the biggest tournaments on the surface. He also made progress on grass and clay, winning at Queen’s and reaching the Roland Garros semi-finals, where he lost to Alcaraz in a tough five-set match. However, some critics point out that Sinner lost all three of his matches against Alcaraz this year. While Alcaraz claimed Wimbledon and Roland Garros, Sinner’s overall consistency gave him a commanding lead in ranking points.
Sinner’s season has been overshadowed by a positive test for clostebol, a banned substance, in March. The ITIA ruled he was not at fault, allowing him to compete, but WADA has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. If Sinner wins the appeal, his 2024 season will be remembered as one of the greatest in tennis history without controversy.
