The romanticism of the French Open was replaced by a familiar, cruel reality on Court Philippe Chatrier as Matteo Berrettini suffered a devastating injury retirement during his quarterfinal clash. The former Wimbledon finalist was forced to call it quits against fellow Italian Matteo Arnaldi, trailing 7-5, 5-2, in a match that promised spectacular tennis but ended in tears.
For Berrettini, this was supposed to be the definitive comeback tournament. Having missed the last four editions of the clay-court Grand Slam due to countless physical setbacks, his run to the final eight in Paris had captured the hearts of tennis fans globally. Yet, his body betrayed him once more, cutting short what had been his most promising major appearance in years.
French Open Day 11: Highlights
FAMILIAR PARISIAN HEARTBREAK
The match began with Berrettini showing the vintage form that once took him to world number six. He raced into a quick 3-0 double-break lead, finding his rhythm early against a sluggish Arnaldi. However, the gruelling nature of the tournament soon took its toll. Arnaldi, who had already broken records for the most hours spent on court before a quarterfinal, began to grind his compatriot down. After an intense 82-minute opening set, Arnaldi snatched it 7-5.
By the start of the second set, the warning signs were flashing for Berrettini. He struggled with his movement and took a medical timeout after feeling a sharp pain in his hip during his service motion. Despite trying to fight through the discomfort, his coaching team eventually gestured for him to stop. Down 5-2, a visibly distraught Berrettini walked to the net to share an emotional embrace with Arnaldi.
TIRED OF RETIRING
Speaking after the match, Berrettini could not hide his profound disappointment and frustration at another unfinished chapter in his career. He admitted that making the decision to stop was incredibly difficult, particularly given his lengthy history of physical struggles.
“It was really hard because I thought it wasn’t the right thing,” Berrettini confessed. “But mostly because I’ve done it many times, and I’m tired of retiring. I didn’t want the tournament to end like this. I feel like it was taken away, the chance to perform until the last point.”
The Italian confirmed that the issue was centred on his hip, noting that while he had experienced hip pain around 2020, this felt entirely different. Despite the sadness of the exit, he attempted to remain philosophical about his future, acknowledging that protecting his body was the only sensible choice.
HISTORIC ITALIAN SEMIFINAL
While the night ended in tragedy for one Matteo, it resulted in a historic milestone for the other. World number 104 Arnaldi became just the second man in the Open era to reach a Roland Garros semifinal via a quarterfinal retirement.
Arnaldi will now face tenth seed Flavio Cobolli on Friday, ensuring that an Italian man will compete in the final on Sunday. Despite his joy, Arnaldi expressed deep sympathy for his friend, wishing him a swift recovery ahead of the upcoming grass-court season.
– Ends
