Matteo Berrettini has announced that he has ended his partnership with his long-time coach, Vincenzo Santopadre.
They say that some people come into our lives for a season, some for a reason, and some forever. Matteo Berrettini could certainly identify many positive reasons why Vincenzo Santopadre was part of his team, but the two won't start the 2024 ATP season together.
Only recently, the Italian announced that he'll be ending his 2023 season early, which many thought after the Italian team for the 2023 Davis Cup Finals was announced without Berrettini.
Now, it seems that the 27-year-old plans to start from the scratch in 2024, something he may as well need after so many injury problems that he has experienced in his career, and that troubled him also this year.
During all those bad times, there was always one person by his side, and it was his long-time coach, Vincenzo Santopadre, who coached the Italian since his teenage years.
After 13 years together, the two have decided to part their ways, and it was certainly an emotional moment for both of them. That's why Berrettini shared an emotional message with his fans, announcing Santopadre's departure from his team.
"I was uncertain, I didn't know whether to write something or just communicate it.I thought it was supposed to be something just me and you, but then I realized that, yes, what we built, done and lived is only ours, but it is also the tangible testimony that dreams come true, that hard work always leads to something positive and that in life, sometimes, you don't have to take yourself too seriously."
"I came into your “tennis arms” not knowing yet what you wanted to do with my life, you managed to make me dream far, but keeping me attached to the single days we lived. Every workout is a brick, every defeat is a lesson and every injury is an opportunity to improve and come back stronger."
"I don't think I could be able to knock down something that could truly make you understand how I feel for you. Gratitude, affection, respect, admiration, gratitude, joy and everything beautiful in our relationship can only be told with a hug...Ours is a professional good-bye that will probably enhance the personal relationship even more."
"I have felt you with me in every difficulty I have faced over the last 13 years, and despite being many, when I think of us I feel only joy. I'm happy and grateful to the people who made our meeting possible, and proud of us for how we used this gift that was given to us. Without you there would have been Matteo Berrettini, but there wouldn’t have been “🔨” Thank you VinzI, love you."