Matteo Berrettini frustrated by another injury exit

Matteo Berrettini admitted he is ‘tired of retiring’ from matches after injury once again brought his French Open campaign to a premature end, denying him the chance to continue his pursuit of a first Grand Slam title.

The 30-year-old Italian was forced to retire from his quarter-final against compatriot Matteo Arnaldi on Wednesday after suffering a hip problem.

Berrettini had already lost the opening set and was trailing 5-2 in the second when he decided he could no longer continue.

Having taken a medical timeout early in the second set, Berrettini appeared in discomfort throughout the contest.

His struggles intensified after he pulled up sharply while chasing a ball in the final game. He then sat in his chair for several moments before walking to the net to embrace Arnaldi and concede the match.

“It was really hard [to retire] because I thought that wasn't the right thing, mostly because I have done it many times and I'm tired of retiring,” said Berrettini.

“I didn't want the tournament to end like this.”

The former world number six has endured a series of injury setbacks since reaching the Wimbledon final in 2021, where he was beaten by Novak Djokovic.

His latest withdrawal adds to a frustrating injury record that has repeatedly disrupted his progress at the highest level.

Despite the disappointment, Berrettini remained determined to focus on the positives after reaching the quarter-finals in his first appearance at Roland Garros since 2021.

Arnaldi expressed sympathy for his fellow Italian following the match.

Arnaldi will now face compatriot Flavio Cobolli in Friday’s semi-final, with a place in the French Open final at stake.