Matteo Berrettini Upset with Reports Calling Holger Rune’s Break After Achilles Tendon Injury an ‘Opportunity’
World No.59 Matteo Berrettini last won a title in the Austrian Open Kitzbuhel last year.
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Matteo Berrettini, Holger Rune (Image via X/Jose Morgado, The Tennis Letter)
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Holger Rune has undergone surgery after rupturing his Achilles tendon during the Stockholm Open, which forced him to give the walkover to eventual runner-up Ugo Humbert, following which, he limped off the court in tears. His mother, Aneke Rune, has blamed the mandatory tournaments and the long tennis schedule for his injury.
Amidst this, a journalist from Eurosport Italia thinks the break due to his surgery could end up being a blessing in disguise in some way. But Matteo Berrettini, who himself had to stay a lot on the sidelines due to fitness problems, snapped back.
Guys, I get it all, eh, but this stuff is really chilling…To think that an injury of this magnitude could be the best thing that could happen to a 22-year-old player ranked 11th in the world is either dishonest or has very little understanding of this sport and sport in general.
Matteo Berrettini wrote on Instagram
Berrettini is in Vienna, prior to which, he was in Stockholm and would have faced Rune in the semifinals had he not lost to Humbert in the fourth round. The last time the 2021 Wimbledon runner-up reached a quarterfinal was in February this year, at the Miami Open. Since then, his campaigns have mostly ended in the first or the second round. Twice this year, he ended tournaments by handing the walkover to his opponents.
Sporting and non-sporting maturity is acquired over time, with defeats, with victories, with matches lost on match point or perhaps won by playing badly. It’s an injury that can radically change a person’s life, not to mention a career at this level. I always listen and I almost never comment, but this is bordering on madness…
Matteo Berrettini added
Rune was chasing his second title in Stockholm after winning it in 2022 by defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas. The 22-year-old won only the Barcelona Open this year by beating Carlos Alcaraz. He also reached the final of the Indian Wells Masters but failed to go past Jack Draper.
Matteo Berrettini’s comment to Eurosport Italia about Holger Rune’s injury translated into English pic.twitter.com/UklukIgkMq
— Sam (@LoverLondonGirl) October 21, 2025
Practice session with Jannik Sinner helped Matteo Berrettini realize his potential
Matteo Berrettini had a practice session with Jannik Sinner, and it gave him some confidence about his level. During his interview with Ubitennis, the 29-year-old said the tough times have helped him rediscover the joy of playing and also realized that the feelings of anger and frustration are a great source of energy for him.
When I trained with Sinner a few days ago, I realized that my level was maintained and that I felt comfortable on the court. Having gone through difficult moments already helps me understand that I must be patient and that things will start to flow as I accumulate hours of competition. Right now, I feel good, but I know that perhaps I cannot sustain my maximum effort throughout an entire match.
Sinner is also in Vienna and will lock horns with Daniel Altmaier in the first round. The four-time Grand Slam champion holds a 2-1 head-to-head record over the German, and the defeat he suffered was in the second round of the 2023 Italian Open.
He has so far taken home three titles: the Australian Open, Wimbledon, and the China Open. Before Vienna, Sinner participated in the Six Kings Slam exhibition event and ended it in his favor by breezing past Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets.
Berrettini has yet to reach a final this year. The last title he won was the 2024 Austrian Open Kitzbuhel. Last year, apart from Kitzbuhel, he also played the finals of the Grand Prix Hassan II, Stuttgart Open, and the Swiss Open Gstaad, losing only in Stuttgart to Jack Draper.
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