Matteo Berrettini talked about his tennis past in a vlog published in collaboration with Red Bull by Denis Tarantello on his YouTube channel entitled SINNAGGAGGHIRI. The Italian, in one of the most important moments of his professional life, chose to stay in Italy and cultivate his dreams.
He told: “I earn a lot, especially in relation to what I thought I could get through tennis. However, I want to send a positive message: the important things are other. It seems like a cliche, but it’s not.” He then added: “At the age of 19, after high school, I had received several scholarships from college to go to study in the United States.
My parents pushed for me to have this experience. In the end I decided to stay in Italy to start take things more seriously since the federation was helping me. It was a gamble and it went well.”
Matteo Berrettini: “Tennis pushes you to the limit”
Berrettini also said in the same interview: “My brother Jacopo and I grew up playing tennis together.
He started before me and convinced me to play, so I have to thank him. We have always helped each other. I’ve been playing since I was seven years old, I picked up my first racket when I was 3 years old. I did not like it. Then my brother started playing and he said to me: Come on, come back.
I did swimming, judo. Then I came back, I liked it and I never stopped. My parents have always supported and helped me. It’s a sport where you have to spend money. You don’t play for a team that pays you everything, so you have to pay for the plane, the hotel, the travel, the coach.
Tennis pushes you to the limit. When I’m out, I miss family. Luckily they follow me often. Building a relationship is difficult. Finding a person who understands what you do is not easy. Taking free offenses after losing a game? You are more exposed.
When I post a photo, I get both positive and negative comments. Maybe people who bet against you and lost because of your win. Or they bet me to win, then I lose and they insult me.”
