A TOTAL ACE: MATTEO BERRETTINI (ENG)

A TOTAL ACE: MATTEO BERRETTINI

ISSUE THIRTY FIVE

photography JOHN RUSSO starring MATTEO BERRETTINI editor in chief STEPHANIE AROUESTY production TERE MAUREL interview NATALIE ROTERMAN art direction MARÍA JOSÉ AJA video KEN WALLER video editor PAULA PRIETO

One of the most dynamic players on the ATP circuit, Matteo Berrettini is known for his powerful serve and relentless competitiveness. But he’s also become a fan favorite across the globe—not just because of his talent on court, but for his charisma and sportsmanship. From reaching the Wimbledon final to representing Italy on the world’s biggest stages, and being named 2024’s Comeback Player of the Year, Matteo has already left a lasting mark as one of men’s tennis top contenders—even through a long, determined battle with injuries.

In this exclusive conversation, the Italian opens up about his game, the highs and lows of his career, and the future of the sport.

L’BEAUTÉ HOMME When was the moment you realized you wanted to become a tennis player?
MATTEO BERRETTINI I remember the first time I went to the Internazionali BNL d’Italia, the tennis tournament in Rome—I must’ve been around eight or nine—and I felt something special in that place. I dreamed of playing there, even though I didn’t really believe it could happen. But that was the moment that sparked the motivation. Then when I was 20, I really realized it was possible… so yeah, it took a while.

LBH What would you say is more important: discipline or talent?

MB I think you need to have talent, especially in a sport like tennis, but without discipline, you’re not going to make it anywhere. It’s about working every day, no matter what’s going on or how you’re feeling. You have to lay one brick every day to build your career. So yes, talent is important, but discipline is even more so.

LBH As you mentioned, there’s a strong mental component in tennis. How do you manage that side of the game and stay focused and relaxed?

MB My philosophy is to work really hard—that’s something my parents taught me—and that’s very important if you want to succeed. But at the same time, it can make you be very hard on yourself. Over the past few years, I’ve learned to forgive myself more, whether it’s a tough loss or even blaming myself for injuries, which sometimes just happen. So yeah, it’s very important to keep your mind balanced. Of course, you want to improve and achieve more, but you also have to appreciate what you’re doing and what you’ve already accomplished. Finding that balance has helped me rediscover the joy in what I do—because it is an amazing life, but it can become routine, and routine is not good for the mind.

LBH Speaking of injuries—you had an abdominal one in 2023. How did you cope with it mentally and physically?

MB At first, it’s really tough. When you tear an oblique or abdominal muscle, it’s basically like breaking a rib. So every time you sneeze or laugh, it hurts. It’s very painful in the beginning. But the hardest part is mental—because you know the muscle will heal, but overcoming the fear of getting injured again is the real challenge. Especially in a sport like ours, which is super demanding. For example, when we serve, we have to go all out—you can’t hit a serve at 50%, and you have to trust your body to go 100%. That’s the most difficult part for me. And it’s also a team effort—you have to trust your doctors, your physios. Physical conditioning is essential because all the rehab is done so you can feel better. But yeah, every time you feel a bit of tension in your abs, you’re scared it could happen again. It takes a lot of mental strength.

LBH You won the 2024 Comeback Player of the Year Award—what did that mean to you?

MB It meant a lot. I remember arriving in Miami last year ranked 150 in the world, and there were a lot of doubts. I always believed I could come back and play at a high level. But once you actually do it, that’s when you realize how proud you are—of yourself, of your team, your family, and everyone who helped you. And being recognized by fellow players is very special, because this award is voted on by them. So it means they saw the effort I put in to come back. That felt really good.

LBH What’s your favorite tournament and why?

MB I basically started dreaming of being a tennis player in Rome—that’s the city where I was born and raised—so it has a special place in my heart. But at the same time, Wimbledon is really special to me, partly because of the results I’ve had there, but also because even when I went as a junior, I felt there was something special in the air. So I’d say those two are my favorites.

LBH How do you see the evolution and future of tennis? Is there anything you’d like to see change?

MB I think tennis is in a great place, especially in terms of the players. We have Jannik [Sinner], Carlos [Alcaraz], and a lot of young players competing at the top tournaments, playing the best matches, and raising the level every day, every year. People love rivalries, they love the young guns, and also the veterans like Novak who are still at the top. I see myself somewhere in the middle—not young anymore, but not a veteran yet. I think the sport is very open now, anyone can win a tournament, and that’s great for the health of tennis. It wasn’t easy to say goodbye to Roger and Rafa, especially so close together, but it shows that the sport is stronger than even the greatest players to ever play. Tennis is a tough sport to follow—we play across different time zones, all year long, sometimes it rains and matches get delayed—but the true fans follow us, and we love that.

LBH When you retire, do you see yourself becoming a coach? Do you think any player can be a coach?

MB I think you need certain qualities to be a great coach, and definitely, if you had a great career, it’s easier to coach because you understand what’s going on better. But not every player becomes a great coach. First, you have to want to do it. Being back on tour, sacrificing your time—it’s not easy after a life of traveling to go back to that. Personally, I do see myself doing it. I enjoy being on court with kids—I have a younger brother, so I like helping when I can. But I also know it’s a process. You have to learn how to talk to people—I’m used to being the center of the team, but as a coach, you’re not anymore. It would definitely be very different, but hopefully I’ll only be thinking about that in a few years.

“My philosophy is to work really hard—that’s something my parents taught me—and that’s very important if you want to succeed. But at the same time, it can make you be very hard on yourself. ” – MB

LBH So many young people look up to you—what’s the best advice you’d give someone dreaming of playing professional tennis?

MB I think dreaming is necessary, but tennis teaches you to take everything one day at a time—and that’s very important, especially because in tennis, everyone has a different path. There isn’t just one way to make it. I got my first ATP point at 19, and there are guys who at 19 are already in the top 100, top 20, top 10. So you can get there eventually. You have to work really hard and trust your coaches. You have to be able to adapt to any condition—tennis throws you into the worst conditions: wind, time zones, balls, altitude—it’s tough. So you have to overcome all of that… and your opponent, too. You have to be mentally strong.