Matteo Berrettini has issued an update after he almost fainted during his match against Andy Murray. The former world No. 6 called the physio and briefly had to stop playing when he avoided collapsing on the court. Murray was already leading in the second set and went on to win 4-6 6-3 6-4.
Berrettini suffered a scare during his first tour-level match since August as he faced Andy Murray in a blockbuster first-round clash at the Miami Open. After taking the first set, the Italian was in trouble in the second when Murray earned his first break of the match. As Berrettini served to stay in the set at 2-5, he suddenly doubled over and stopped himself from collapsing on the court.
Play was paused for more than four minutes while the 27-year-old went to his bench where he was seen by the physio and doctor. He continued playing but was visibly struggling in the final set, often stopping to gasp for breath after being dragged into some gruelling games.
Murray eventually came through in three sets and checked on Berrettini when they shook hands at the net, with the current world No. 142 heard mentioning an illness. Berrettini has since provided an update on his health following the worrying mid-match incident.
The 2021 Wimbledon runner-up confirmed that it was an illness that he had been dealing with ahead of the match. “Before the match, I was unwell and weak due to an intestinal virus,” he wrote on Instagram.
“But I wanted to play the match. I’m fine now. Thanks for this support. Now I will return to Europe and prepare for the clay court season.” Berrettini had been making his return from a seven-month injury layoff.
His last official match came at the US Open in August, where he left the court in a wheelchair. The former world No. 6 competed in the Phoenix Challenger in the week before Miami and reached the final. But the Miami Open marked his first competition at ATP Tour level.
Berrettini will now be hoping to play a full clay season after another injury issue derailed his last year. He was forced to withdraw from the 2023 Monte Carlo Masters and didn’t make his return until Wimbledon. It meant that he missed the French Open, also losing out on his chance to defend his Queen’s title on the grass.
