Matteo Berrettini’s eagerly awaited return to competitive tennis ended in brutal fashion — and what unfolded on the court wasn’t just a loss. It was a moment that’s raising deep questions about whether the Italian can ever reclaim his place among the elite.
🎾 The Comeback That Was Meant to Heal
After months sidelined by injury and chronic fitness doubts, Berrettini announced his return at the Lynk & Co Hangzhou Open, a hard-court ATP 250 event. This marked his first tournament back since Wimbledon, a chance to reset, rebuild, and re-enter the tour with momentum.
Social media lit up when he posted a gritty training video and wrote: “Final prep ✅ See you in Hangzhou!” — a signal that he believed in this renewed chapter.
💥 The Collapse Nobody Saw Coming
But reality hit fast and hard. In his opening match, Berrettini faced Dalibor Svrcina, a lucky loser who entered the draw days earlier. In a shocking straight-sets defeat (6-3, 6-3), Berrettini’s comeback bid was extinguished before it even gained steam.
Svrcina, who had lost in qualifying before being granted entry, attacked fearlessly and punished every loose shot from the Italian. Berrettini, visibly rusty, committed 15 unforced errors and often looked a step behind.
⚠️ A Crash That Was Forecast
This result wasn’t entirely unexpected. Tennis insiders and former players had warned that Berrettini’s long spell out of action, coupled with recurring injuries, left him vulnerable. Paolo Bertolucci, one of Italy’s legends, admitted it might be “very tough” for him to return to top form. Another report lamented that Berrettini had “played very few matches in 2025,” and was “essentially sidelined for four months,” making a full return much harder than fans realized.
