Matteo Berrettini hit with new injury crisis, 2024 comeback at Brisbane International in doubt: Report
Matteo Berrettini's participation at the Brisbane International is reportedly in doubt due to a fresh right foot injury.
Injuries hampered the Italian's 2023 season, as he dropped out of the Top 50 of the ATP rankings.
Berrettini's last tournament this season was the US Open where he was unseeded. He beat Ugo Humbert 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 in the opening round before suffering a ligament tear in his second-round fixture against Arthur Rinderknech. The 27-year-old did not take any further part in the 2023 season.
Matteo Berrettini is scheduled to make his return to tennis at the Brisbane International 2024 as he is registered in the ATP 250 event's qualifiers. However, the Italian is doubtful for the tournament in Australia as he suffered a fresh injury on his right foot, as per reports.
According to the Italian newspaper La Repubblica, the 2021 Wimbledon runner-up, who was ranked sixth in the world at a point in time, was training in Turin with Lorenzo Sonego before he felt a problem with his foot.
If Berrettini is forced to sit out of the Brisbane International, he will aim to make his comeback at the Australian Open, which is his next scheduled tournament.
Matteo Berrettini won 12 out of 23 matches in the 2023 season
Matteo Berrettini had a far from memorable 2023 season, as he played just 23 matches, winning 12.
The Italian didn't have a bad start as he helped Italy reach the final of the United Cup, beating the likes of Casper Ruud and Hubert Hurkacz in the process. He also put up a tough fight in the two matches he lost against Stefanos Tsitsipas and Taylor Fritz.
The Italian reached the quarterfinals of the Mexican Open in Acapulco and the Round of 16 at the Monte-Carlo Masters and was set to face Holger Rune in both encounters. However, injury prevented him from either finishing the match or even playing in it.
Berrettini's most notable performance in 2023 was his run to the fourth round of Wimbledon. The 27-year-old beat Lorenzo Sonego, Alex de Minaur, and Alexander Zverev to reach the Round of 16 where he was beaten 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 by eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz.
However, things did not go well for the Italian after the grass-court season, as he endured second and opening-round exits in the Masters 1000 events in Toronto and Cincinnati respectively, before his second-round injury in Flushing Meadows.
Matteo Berrettini is set to end 2023 as the World No. 92, his worst year-end finish since 2017.