The Italian player Matteo Berrettini has struggled with injuries in recent years, and this year is no exception. He produced a stunning vintage performance at the Marrakech Open in Morocco to win his first trophy in a long time, but he couldn’t build upon that success. Since then, he hasn’t played any matches and won’t be competing in Paris either.

The announcement came on his Instagram story, where Berrettini admitted that despite working hard to be ready for the season’s second major, he and his team are not confident that he’s prepared for best-of-five matches required in Paris. “Despite training at an increasingly high level, my team and I feel I am not quite ready for multiple five set matches in a row. I will wait to make my return on grass. Thank you for your continued support. I’m nearly there, just need a little more time,” Berrettini stated.

It’s not a huge surprise given his lack of match play recently. Missing a few weeks ahead of the Grand Slam certainly didn’t help, and clay tennis is very physical, requiring players to be at their peak. Berrettini is clearly not at his best at the moment.

Berrettini also briefly mentioned the upcoming grass season. He’s a terrific grass player and a former Wimbledon finalist, so getting ready for that part of the season makes sense to him. Skipping the French Open in favor of better preparation for Wimbledon is a strategic decision, especially if he’s not fit enough for the grueling best-of-five matches.

Fans can expect to see Berrettini on a grass court fairly soon, aiming to make a strong comeback during the grass season and potentially at Wimbledon, where his skills on the surface have previously brought him close to victory.

Matteo Berrettini in 2024

Ranked no.96, Berrettini played his last match on the 9^th of April when he was defeated by world no.55 Miomir Kecmanovic 6-3 6-1 in the 1^st round in Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters (draw).

Currently, during this season Berrettini has achieved a composed 9-3 win-loss record. Berrettini clinched 1 title in Marrakech. The Italian reached the final in the Phoenix Challenger.