Matteo Berrettini
April 12, 1996 — Rome, Italy
Matteo Berrettini is an Italian professional tennis player from Rome whose booming right-handed serve and ferocious forehand made him one of the ATP Tour's most feared grass-court players. His 2021 Wimbledon final run captured Italy's imagination and announced him as one of his generation's genuine Grand Slam contenders.
A Roman Football Family That Chose Tennis
Born on April 12, 1996 in Rome, Berrettini grew up alongside his younger brother Jacopo, who also became a professional tennis player — a rare sibling pairing on the ATP Tour. He turned professional in 2015 and developed through the Italian tennis system, building his baseline game into a formidable weapon. His serve — clocked regularly above 140 mph — became one of the most powerful on the circuit.
Wimbledon and Grand Slam Breakthrough
Berrettini reached the world No. 6 ranking in January 2022 and made the ATP Finals in 2021, but his defining moment came at Wimbledon 2021, where he became the first Italian man ever to reach a Grand Slam singles final. Facing Novak Djokovic in the final, he lost in four sets after winning the first — but the performance was enough to make him a national hero in Italy and firmly establish his status among the world's elite.
He also reached the fourth round or better at the Australian and US Opens in the same year, a run that placed him firmly among the most consistent major performers outside the top three of Djokovic, Nadal, and Federer.
Did You Know?
Berrettini's Wimbledon 2021 run was the first time an Italian man had appeared in a Grand Slam final in 45 years — the previous occasion being Adriano Panatta at Roland Garros in 1976. Berrettini's run sparked the greatest surge of tennis interest in Italy since Panatta's era, and the Italian tennis federation credited him with a measurable increase in junior enrolments.
Injuries and Resilience
Berrettini's career has been repeatedly interrupted by injuries — notably to his right hand and abdominal muscles — that prevented him from sustaining the consistency his talent suggests. But he has returned each time with his serve and forehand intact, continuing to compete at Major level and win ATP titles. His personality — charming, gregarious, and refreshingly unguarded off court — has made him a fan favourite across Europe well beyond the confines of tennis.