After beating two top ten players and reaching the final with Italy at the United Cup, Matteo Berrettini failed to progress beyond the first round at the Australian Open. The Italian tennis player woke up too late and allowed Andy Murray to take the lead by two sets.
Berrettini, however, was good at reacting and even got himself a match point in the fifth set. Match point that he threw away by sending a comfortable backhand into the net. The former world number one finally made use of all his experience in the super tie-break and eliminated Berrettini.
Pending official communications, the Italian is registered for the ATP 500 tournament in Acapulco and it is precisely in Mexico that he should return to the court Berrettini told the new episode of ATP Uncovered: “When you feel that every day you are working hard, trying to improve in everything you do, at the end of the day you can go to sleep and feel satisfied.
It’s not about winning or losing, it’s not about winning a trophy or any trophy at all; you have to like what you’re doing, your life. When I was a kid, I dreamed of being here, playing with the best tennis players. Actually I used to watch Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal on television, but now I play against them.
So it’s really inspiring for me and I think for the next generations as well. If you work hard, if you really have a dream, I think you can make it happen. And even if you don’t make it but you try your best, it’s something that will be useful for your life.
It’s weird to think of a legacy for me, because I never thought I could be here when I was younger. I never had a plan, I was just playing and playing. What really inspired me was when the kids started telling me, I watch all your games.
When they wear hats and shoot forehand like me. It makes me really happy, so I really want people watching me to try something beyond tennis.”