TORINO. An abdominal injury is forcing Matteo Berrettinia leave Pala Alpitour in tears when it was down by a set against Alexander Zverev in the debut match at the ATP Finals.
The German wins by forfeit, who was one game ahead in the second set, after an hour and forty of great tennis, in which the Italian also had two balls to win the first set. The Olympic champion, a rival on the field but a friend in life of Berrettini, who had already had an abdominal injury at the Australian Open, was disappointed.
And now the reserve heats up Jannik Sinner: if the 25-year-old Roman does not make it, it will be up to the South Tyrolean to take his place. Sinner arrived in Turin as the first reserve having finished ninth in the standings, and could at this point play the matches against Medvedev and Hurkacz.
“There is little to say about the match, I’m so sorry for Berrettini: he will be experiencing very bad sensations because he had won this tournament and was forced to retire,” said Zverev at the end of the game. “I don’t know what else to add except that I’m sorry.”
Great disappointment also for the audience of the Pala Alpitour in Turin, who had waited with trepidation for tonight’s challenge, after the victory of the Russian in the afternoon Daniil Medvedev for 2-1 against the Polish Hubert Hurkacz in the first single of these Atp Finals.
The rumblings from the blows of the Italian suddenly silence, when he is forced to ask the doctor for an abdominal pain. Pale and tense, the tennis player tries to recover, but there is nothing to be done. And tears also appear on his face disfigured by pain. A real cold shower for the Pala Alpitour, who suddenly loses his smile, while applauding the sportsmanship of the German who embraces the opponent and helps him out of the field.
Berrettini’s injury ruins the party for the first day of the ATP Finals, “an incredible showcase, we are very satisfied and we can only improve because every day will be a crescendo of emotions and great visibility for the territory”, commented Fabrizio before the match Ricca, the Councilor for Sport of the Piedmont Region.
“The location is wonderful and there is still potential for development – the words of the M5s parliamentarian and member of the ATP Finals Committee – If the Government has invested more than 80 million it is because it wants Turin, Piedmont and the whole nation to be there. an important return not only in terms of money but also in terms of image ».
For the former first citizen, Chiara Appendino, current vice president of Fit, “it is nice to see the enthusiasm of the Turinese, from the stands you can feel great warmth and participation”.
The house of tennis, however, has opened its doors: a great sporting event until Sunday, the day of the single and double finals with many VIPs in the stands. Today the president of Stellantis John Elkann, tomorrow the ministers Federico D’Incà and Fabiana Dadone and the Milan footballer Zlatan Ibrahimovivic.