Matteo Berrettini sends message to emotional Flavio Cobolli after he retires from their match in Vienna, ‘I’m so sorry’

Matteo Berrettini did not reach the Vienna Open quarter-finals in the way that he would have hoped after Flavio Cobolli retired.

Berrettini and Cobolli are close childhood friends, having grown up together in Rome, but they had never played each other before on the ATP Tour.

This changed at the Vienna Open, but the match was over after just seven games after Cobolli retired with what seemed to be a leg injury.

Cobolli was very emotional as he made the decision, and now Berrettini, who sat next to him on the bench, has sent a message to his fellow Italian.

Matteo Berrettini reveals what he told Flavio Cobolli after he retired

After Berrettini was awarded the victory following Cobolli’s retirement, he spoke in the mandatory on-court interview where he paid tribute to his opponent, particularly as there are just over two weeks to go until the ATP Finals.

Berrettini also revealed what he told Cobolli on the bench, having been through many injury struggles throughout his own career.

“Yeah, I’m so sorry for him,” said Berrettini. “I’ve been there many times, maybe too many times, that’s why I got emotional. I know how tough it can be, I know how much he wants to be in Turin and the last thing he wants is to get an injury a few weeks before.

“Hopefully it’s going to be nothing too serious, the idea today was just to come on court and celebrate the journey we have both had from Rome as small kids that were playing tennis at the weekends. I remember him when he was like this tall, I remember the day he chose playing tennis over football and I remember his eyes are the same eyes he has now, this little kid that was dreaming about the best stages.

“I think he deserves to be there and I think he deserves the career he is having so far, so I wish him nothing but the best. I’m going to try to help him in any way possible.

“I just told him to be in the moment, to not go too far ahead with his mind and thoughts, that’s what I was doing in the past and it wasn’t really helping me. So one day at a time, I’m sure he has great doctors that are going to help him in his recovery and hopefully he can make it in time.”

Matteo Berrettini admits the thing that ‘hurts’ him the most about the ATP Finals

Despite Cobolli’s injury concern, he still remains in a strong position to qualify for the ATP Finals for the first time. Qualifying for the ATP Finals for any player is hugely significant, but it is perhaps an even bigger deal for Italian players with the event being held in Turin.

This is something Berrettini knows all too well, having qualified for the ATP Finals in London in 2019, before reaching the year-end tournament again in Turin in 2021. However, Berrettini’s experience in Turin did not go as planned, as he was unable to complete his only match and was subsequently replaced by another Italian in Jannik Sinner.

Berrettini has now admitted that this is probably his most painful career experience, “Yeah, it’s a trophy even like being there after a great season. It’s probably the thing that hurts the most in my career, not being able to finish the round-robin.

“I remember the energy of that place, I remember the proudness of qualifying and feeling my people in the place. I feel the love of the people around the world luckily, it’s maybe a bad memory but still a good memory if I think about the effort I put to be there.

“Now of course we are full of Italian players, of course Jannik, who won it as well. Maybe one day I will come back you never know, but I wish all the best to Flavio.”

Neither Berrettini nor Sinner, who ended his season early due to injury will be at this year’s ATP Finals, with Cobolli hoping to be the sole Italian representative in Turin.

Cobolli is hoping to return to competition at the Paris Masters next week, while Berrettini will be hoping to continue his run at the Vienna Open, as he plays Alex de Minaur in the quarter-finals. While Berrettini cannot qualify for this year’s ATP Finals, he would confirm a return to the top 40 if he beats De Minaur.