Matteo Berrettini takes Roger Federer's words to heart
Roger Federer's influence on his colleagues is immense - Matteo Berrettini got something to think about last weekend.
by Florian Goosmann
last edit: Sep 29, 2022, 10:39 am
Hardly anyone loves tennis as much as Roger Federer. Or as his coach Ivan Ljubicic recently said : Federer would have preferred to continue playing until he was 100 years old, only an injury could ultimately end his career.
That's how it happened in a way. Federer was able to celebrate his departure from professional tennis in a doubles match alongside friend and rival Rafa Nadal, but his knee problems prevented him from continuing his career.
What does that mean for his younger colleagues? some. In their early or mid-20s, many people probably don't think about the end of their own career, so the career continues year after year. And consciously enjoying the privilege of being able to realize one's big dream as a tennis pro becomes a matter of course for many. So it's good if someone reminds you that this is not the case!
Berrettini: "We should enjoy it"
And even better if their name is Roger Federer. Matteo Berrettini, still slim 26 years young, made the maestro's parting words to think. "We should do exactly what he told us to do: enjoy it," said the Italian last weekend. Federer explained that he, Berrettini, and the others may have no idea how lucky they were to be able to continue playing, he revealed.
And of course, he had thought about that before, "but when Roger tells you that, it just means a lot," Berrettini continued.
He himself had to struggle with injury problems recently, had problems with his right hand and had to undergo a small operation in the spring. But Berrettini came back splendidly, winning the ATP tournament in Stuttgart and Queen's before he had to cancel the US Open due to a corona infection.
He's fit again now, next tournament: the home game in Florence from October 10th. And thanks to Federer's words, he might be even happier than he already is.