That Matteo Berrettini was a grass specialist, a surface where many of his colleagues simply cannot adapt, we realized this in 2019, the year of his definitive explosion, in which he finished as number 8 in the world and won two tournaments, including Stuttgart ( in the final against Auger-Aliassime).
It is difficult to find a player so comfortable on a particular surface, which is rarely played on (only a month in the entire season) and where very few past champions immediately made sparks. Apart from Roger Federerwho treated Wimbledon like their backyard, it took Djokovic and Nadal years to adapt to grass to win the Championships.
It is true, today (and for about ten years) they call it beaten grass, because the more physical tennis and long rallies have brought out the slowdown of the surface, but grass always remains the hunting ground of those who play heavy, offensive and perhaps (if necessary) cutting shots, exactly like Matteo. Who already makes things clear from the serve: on the lawns, the serve is the key to every result. Berrettini’s forehand, which is already a definitive shot on other surfaces, can find even greater effectiveness here, with particular angles and effects, especially the narrow and short one. A play so effective that it also allows him to mask some uncertainties of the backhand, which Berrettini can play here as a slice. The grass makes the ball splash and Matteo’s back becomes treacherous on such a fast surface. It was the forehand, however the shot on which Berrettini based his success at Wimbledon 2021, the best Slam of his career in which he reached the final, losing to Novak Djokovic.
An almost clear path, leaving crumbs to his opponents to the point of frightening Robot Nole, who managed to put his class down by one set to take his sixth Wimbledon (he would also get his seventh the following year). Matteo’s level of maturity and adaptation to grass in that edition of the Championships remains unrepeatable in the history of Italian tennis. Only one set lost in the first four matches (in the first round against Pella) and peremptory victories against Van de Zandschulp, Bedene and Ivashka, before finding Auger-Aliassime in the quarter-finals. Against one of the best versions of the Canadian it ended 3-1 for the blue, who in the semi-final swept Hurkacz off the court (Matteo lost a set but won one 6-0). To understand the extent of the feat, the Pole had just eliminated Federer.
But beyond that wonderful journey at Wimbledon, Berrettini has monstrous grass stats. Out of 8 tournaments won in his career he took home 4 on this surface, triumphing twice in Stuttgart (2019 and 2022) and twice at Queen’s (2021 and 2022). Matteo also had the pleasure of beating Murray in the final (Queen’s 2022) at his home, raising the trophy in the face of someone who has won Wimbledon twice and an Olympic gold on grass (London 2012).
It is equally clear that Berrettini appears on the grass after a 2023 of inactivity and a 2024 in which he took home the ATP in Marrakech (red clay), but missed many tournaments. He cannot therefore be considered among the favourites, much less at the Championships, despite the forced absence of Djokovic. But whichever top seed meets Berrettini in the first rounds, he can consider himself very unlucky. It is on these fields that the nickname The Hammer (the hammer) took shape. He will start with the lights off, but here Berrettini – if he is physically and mentally well – is truly capable of anything.
