I’m tired of retirement: Devastated Matteo Berrettini opens up on Parisian hearts

The romanticism of the French Open was replaced by the familiar, harsh reality on Court Philippe Chatrier when Matteo Berrettini suffered a devastating injury during their quarter-final encounter. The former Wimbledon finalist was forced to withdraw against fellow Italian Matteo Arnaldi, trailing 7-5, 5-2 in a match that promised spectacular tennis but ended in tears.

It was supposed to be the definitive comeback tournament for Berrettini. Having missed the last four clay Grand Slams due to a myriad of physical setbacks, his run to the last eight in Paris won the hearts of tennis fans around the world. However, his body betrayed him once again, cutting short what was his most promising headliner in years.

French Open Day 11: The best

THE FAMOUS HEART OF PARIS

The match began with Berrettini showing the vintage form that once took him to world number six. He quickly raced to a 3-0 lead in two breaks and soon found his rhythm against a slow Arnaldi. However, the grueling nature of the tournament soon took its toll. Arnaldi, who had already broken records for the most hours spent on the court before the quarterfinals, began to crush his compatriot. After an intense 82-minute opening set, Arnaldi took the lead 7-5.

At the beginning of the second set, warning signs were already flashing for Berrettini. He struggled with the move and took a medical leave after experiencing sharp pain in his hip during a service move. Although he struggled to overcome the discomfort, his coaching staff finally gestured for him to stop. At 5-2, a visibly upset Berrettini went to the net to share an emotional hug with Arnaldi.

TIRED OF RETIREMENT

Speaking after the matchBerrettini could not hide his deep disappointment and frustration in another unfinished chapter of his career. He admitted that making the decision to quit was incredibly difficult, especially given his long history of physical struggles.

“It was really hard because I thought it wasn’t the right thing to do,” Berrettini admitted. “But mainly 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 they took away my chance to perform until the last point.”

The Italian confirmed that the problem was centered on his hip, noting that while he had experienced hip pain around 2020, it felt completely different. Despite the sadness of leaving, he tried to remain philosophical about his future, recognizing that protecting his body was the only sensible option.

HISTORIC ITALIAN SEMI-FINALS

While for one Matteo the night ended in tragedy, for the other it marked a historical milestone. World No. 104 Arnaldi became just the second man in the Open era to reach the Roland Garros semifinals via the quarterfinals.

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 his deepest condolences to his friend and wished him a speedy recovery ahead of the upcoming grass season.

– The end

Issued by:

Amar Panicker

Published on:

04 Jun 2026 07:44 IST