Berrettini’s injury woes continue – Italian pulls out of Australian Open, cancelling blockbuster tilt with Tsitsipas

The popcorn encounter that most everyone had circled when the Australian Open men’s singles draw was released on Thursday evening in Melbourne Park is no more.

Matteo Berrettini – the perpetually injured Italian – has pulled the plug on his first appearance of the year due to a foot injury.

The tournament announced the news on its social media on Sunday afternoon.

Belgium’s Zizou Bergs will step into Berrettini’s spot as a lucky loser, facing seventh-seeded Tsitsipas in round one. The world No 130 is still searching for his first Grand Slam main draw win and he will be facing a Top 10 player for the first time.

As for Berrettini, his dream of starting 2024 with a clean – and healthy – slate will have to wait. The former world No 6 and 2021 Wimbledon runner-up has been besieged by injuries since 2020, suffering a sports hernia in 2020, and then undergoing hand surgery in 2022. He was hit by abdominal problems that limited his playing time in 2023, and at the end of last season he suffered a debilitating ankle injury (a ruptured ankle ligament) at the US Open, and hasn’t played since.

The 27-year-old is currently ranked 125.

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