It’s been a long road but Matteo Berrettini is once again a champion after he claimed success in Marrakech earlier today. The Italian defeated his good friend Roberto Carballes Baena 7-5, 6-2 to lift his first title in almost two years.
Berrettini has endured some rotten luck with injuries over the last couple of years. Most recently he was forced to miss the first major of the campaign, the Australian Open, with a foot problem.
The player showed no sign of ill effects during this latest ATP win, however, and he will be hoping to stay fit ahead of the busy summer and Grand Slams at Roland Garros and Wimbledon.
After the game – and the huge win – for Berrettini, he explained why he likes to play Carballes Baena. The pair go way back and now, the champion has been discussing his performance.
What Matteo Berrettini said about Roberto Carballes Baena
Well, this was an important win for Berrettini and he will be keen to show that he’s capable of winning more tournaments now. The player is down at 135 in the world at the moment and that won’t do for a player of his quality.
After the match, Berrettini was proud beyond belief and he heaped praise on his opponent after beating the Spaniard in straight sets.
He told Tennis.com: “I want to thank my team. It’s been a tough past couple of years, I would say, and thanks to them I was able to overcome all the tough moments.
“We’ve been doing this career together basically. We also share a coach, so it’s always tough to play against him. I think every time we gave our best.”
Berrettini one to watch for the rest of 2024
The 27-year-old hasn’t really fulfilled his potential yet and he will be keen to claim a Grand Slam in the near future. Having won Queens and reached a Wimbledon final, he may have one eye on the grass campaign.
Berrettinni will race back into the top 100 in the world when the new list is released following this win in Morrocco.
It was so disappointing to see Berrettini pull out of the Australian Open back in January. Now, all eyes will be on the next major tournaments and no top player will want to be drawing the Italian early doors.
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