Matteo Berrettini has enjoyed a successful 2024 season after a lengthy injury hiatus saw him drop outside the top 100.
The big-serving Italian faced six months on the sidelines nursing all manner of niggles and knocks.
Returning in March, it took an unseeded Matteo Berrettini just mere weeks to lift his first title since 2022 in Morocco.
A frustrating combination of fitness and health woes caused the former Wimbledon finalist to miss the French Open, as well as the masters events in Rome and Madrid.
Returning at Wimbledon, he took a set off Jannik Sinner before clinching back-to-back titles in Gstaad and Kitzbühel.
Matteo Berrettini highlights proudest moment this year
An impressive year for the Italian has seen him win more titles than the majority of the top 10.
I suppose, for Berrettini, his target remains a reintroduction into the top order of current ATP stars.
A difficult, injury-hampered past 12 months has not seen Berrettini lose hope however – a level of resolve and courage he admits he’s proud of.
Speaking to Tennis.com, the Italian said: “I found the energy again. I found the joy of doing what like to do, what I’m doing right now. That’s the most important thing, finding the joy about what you’re doing.
“Obviously, I’m happy about my level. I’m happy about the wins. But not letting go when everything was basically telling me, ‘OK, let it go.’ It’s the thing that I’m most proud of.”
Now at 38th in the ATP live rankings, Berrettini is edging ever closer to a return to not only a seeded spot at the next Grand Slam, but to his career-high of sixth.
- READ MORE: Matteo Berrettini maintains remarkable 2024 record with dominant first-round win in Stockholm
Where is Matteo Berrettini playing right now?
Berrettini bounced back from a disappointing and premature exit in Sweden, by producing a dominant performance at the Vienna Open on Monday.
The Italian bruised past Marton Fucsovics 7-5, 6-4 in Austria, without facing a single break-point throughout.
The Italian, who surprisingly fell to Dominic Stricker in Stockholm, immediately rectified the wobble with a comprehensive win.
Despite nearly two hours on court, Berrettini remained composed and confident on serve, defeating the qualifier with a flourish.
An exciting encounter with Frances Tiafoe awaits in round two – the American rallied past Britain’s Cameron Norrie.
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