Matteo Berrettini ITA, April 12, 1996 – Photo Getty Images
In an announcement that angered tennis fans, Matteo Berrettini withdrew from the final day of play at the Kooyong Classic in Melbourne, Australia. He is expected to face the Austrian Dominic Thiem Tomorrow, at around 02:30 Italian time, the Roman has decided to take part in this exhibition to test the condition of his body in advance of the upcoming Australian Open, which will take place from January 14th to 28th.
Unfortunately, Berrettini has struggled with a number of injuries recently, the most recent of which occurred at the 2023 US Open. These physical problems, including some related to his foot during training in Turin, have caused Berrettini and his staff to to decide against taking part in the ATP250 qualifiers in Brisbane.
His last-minute withdrawal from the Kooyong Classic raises concerns about his fitness ahead of his meeting with world number 7 Stefanos Tsitsipas in the first round of the Australian Open. What's notable is that Tsitsipas has been training with Berrettini in recent days, which adds another interesting layer to this comparison.
This sudden withdrawal raises doubts about Berrettini's ability to perform at his best in five-set Slam matches, especially considering he has not played any competitive matches in the last four months. Tennis fans and experts are eagerly awaiting further developments in Berrettini's situation.
Meanwhile, at the Kooyong Classic, Argentina's Francisco Cerundolo will take the field in place of Berrettini, a choice that keeps the level of competition high but leaves Italian fans in limbo with concern.
The program for Friday, January 12, 2024
**Italian time zone (CET):**
🕐 1:00 am
1️⃣ 🇺🇸 Frances Tiafoe vs 🇨🇦 Milos Raonic
🕐 Around 2:30 p.m. at night
2️⃣ 🇦🇹 Dominic Thiem vs Francisco Cerundolo 🕐
Around 4:00 p.m. at night
3️⃣ 🇷🇺 Maria Andreeva vs 🇺🇸 Danielle Collins
🕐 Around 6:00 a.m
4️⃣ 🇦🇺 Thanasi Kokkinakis vs 🇦🇺 Marc Polmans
