For much of Jannik Sinner's career, Matteo Berrettini had the Italian spotlight on himself, and while Sinner overtook him lately, he often mentions him.
Berrettini was Italy's leading player for much of the past five years. He was the one that nearly won the country a Grand Slam at Wimbledon a few years ago but couldn't overcome Novak Djokovic.
Jannik Sinner did overcome Djokovic en route to his maiden Grand Slam final earlier this year and, by doing so, overtook Berrettini for the spotlight. It hasn't been the best of times for the big-serving Italian lately.
He's dealt with a lot of injuries recently, and Sinner can't wait to see him return. He paid tribute to him after winning the Davis Cup and mentioned him once again in a recent interview with Vanity Fair.
"He has had many injuries, we hope he returns. It is not right to forget his successes. We Italians are a nice group, we all respect each other even if we are all different."
It's good to see Sinner mention Berrettini because his name has kind of faded from the world of tennis in recent months. That's obviously only because we can't see him on the courts, but once he returns, the Italian will likely generate buzz again.
Berrettini cherishes Sinner's support, especially the kind words Sinner said to him at the Davis Cup trophy ceremony.
"Sinner's words make me very happy because I know they are true and honest. We have a wonderful relationship, perhaps even improved in this period. He was also close to me after Malaga, we spoke for a long time. We are different but also similar."
We'll have to wait and see when Berrettini returns, but fans are hoping it's sooner rather than later. It's been a long time since we've seen him on a high level.
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