Matteo Berrettini's recent struggles with injuries have continued, as the Italian player was forced to retire from his quarterfinal match against Holger Rune at the 2023 Mexican Open in Acapulco.
Berrettini, who is currently ranked 24th in the world, had been hoping for a strong showing at the tournament following a disappointing start to the year. Unfortunately for Berrettini, things didn't go according to plan. While he managed to win his first two matches against Alex Molcan and Elias Ymer, he looked far from his best against Rune.
Berrettini lost the first set 0-6, and was down 0-1 in the second when he retired. The crowd at the Mexican Open was not impressed with Berrettini's early exit and booed him off the court. This reaction may have been unfair, however, as Berrettini most likely saw the trainer/doctor during a rain delay before retiring. The situation was strange, as the crowd didn't witness Berrettini's interaction with the medical staff.
Before the rain delay, Berrettini told the chair umpire to call the doctor, explaining that it was his calf that was causing him trouble. It's unclear what exactly happened during the rain delay, but it seems that Berrettini's calf injury was severe enough to prevent him from continuing in the match.
Berrettini's injury is the latest setback for the Italian player, who struggled with injuries throughout much of last year. These struggles saw him drop out of the Top 10, and he has yet to regain his form in 2023. Berrettini lost his first-round match at the Australian Open to Andy Murray, and the Mexican Open was only his second tournament of the year.
It's unclear what Berrettini's next move will be following this latest injury. He'll likely need some time to recover and rehab his calf, and it remains to be seen if he'll be able to get back to full fitness in time for the next tournament. One thing is for sure, though: Berrettini will be hoping for a better run of luck as he looks to get his career back on track.
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