“Punish the quitter,” Matteo Berrettini draws flak following his confusing withdrawal against Holger Rune in Acapulco
Matteo Berrettini did not have an easy day on court as he received booing from spectators following his withdrawal.
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Matteo Berrettini, Holger Rune
World No. 24 Matteo Berrettini’s run in the 2023 Mexican Open came to an end after he pulled out against Holger Rune. In a rain-interrupted match, Berrettini could not challenge the Danish player and eventually retired when the score read 6-0, 1-0. The reason for the retirement is not clear yet though there are some speculations about an injury.
Rune dominated the match since the start as the Italian 26-year-old looked short of answers. At one point, Berrettini even broke his racket in frustration. The rain delay did not help him either.
After the match, Berrettini received some booing from the spectators who were not amused by the unexpected turn of events. The score was 4-0 against Berrettini when the rain started to pour. The match resumed after a 35-minute break but it took only five minutes for the proceedings to end.
Matteo Berrettini receives criticism online for pulling out of the match
The reason for Berrettini’s retirement was not clear as he did not show any signs of physical stress during the match. He did not even ask for a time-out. But there are some speculations that he received medical help during the rain-forced interruption.
Even before retirement, Berrettini did not show up as he managed to win only 7 out of 35 points played. This was unusual considering his straight-set wins in the first two rounds in Acapulco. This will definitely be a major setback for the Italian who was looking to revive his form after some poor results.
The crowd booed him as he walked off the court. Social media was not forgiving as well. “Crowd has a right to be pissed. Waited through the 37-minute rain delay for that,” one of the users wrote.
Though there were some fans who sympathized with Barrettini. They opined that Berrettini may have received some help during the break. Now Holger Rune will battle Alex de Minaur on Saturday for a place in the final.
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Abhinavendu Singh
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