The Italian star’s quarter final run ends in tears after a recurring injury strikes again

Matteo Berrettini saw his French Open hopes come to a painful end after injury forced him to retire from his quarter final against fellow Italian Matteo Arnaldi.

The emotional exit marked another frustrating chapter in a career that has repeatedly been disrupted by physical setbacks.

Berrettini, who had entered the tournament hoping to make a deep run and challenge for a first Grand Slam title, was trailing Arnaldi after losing the opening set and falling behind 5 2 in the second when a hip problem brought his campaign to an abrupt halt.

The warning signs had appeared earlier in the match.

Shortly after losing the first set, the former Wimbledon finalist left the court for a medical timeout. Despite returning to continue the contest, his movement increasingly looked restricted.

The decisive moment came while chasing down a ball late in the second set. Berrettini suddenly pulled up in discomfort and was unable to continue.

The 30 year old sat silently in his chair for several seconds before walking to the net to embrace Arnaldi, knowing his tournament was over.

Speaking afterwards, Berrettini admitted the decision to retire had been particularly difficult because it was a situation he had experienced too many times before.

He said he was tired of retiring from matches and had desperately wanted to finish the contest on his own terms.

His frustration is understandable.

Once regarded as one of the most dangerous players on the ATP Tour, Berrettini’s career has been repeatedly interrupted by injuries since reaching the Wimbledon final in 2021, where he lost to Novak Djokovic.

That appearance remains his only Grand Slam final.

Since then, physical problems have regularly halted his momentum. He retired from the ATP Finals in 2021 because of an abdominal injury and has suffered a series of setbacks in the years that followed.

He was also forced to retire from matches in Madrid and Rome last season and missed the previous four editions of the French Open because of injury issues.

Given that history, simply reaching the quarter finals at Roland Garros represented a significant achievement.

Now ranked 105th in the world, Berrettini acknowledged that a few weeks ago he would not have imagined reaching the final eight in Paris.

While disappointed by the ending, he said he wanted to focus on the positives from his tournament and remain proud of the fight he had shown throughout the event.

For Arnaldi, the victory came under difficult circumstances.

The Italian immediately expressed sympathy for his opponent and said nobody wants to see a match conclude through injury.

He praised Berrettini’s performance throughout the tournament and wished him a speedy recovery ahead of the upcoming grass court season, where Berrettini has traditionally been one of the most dangerous players on tour.

Arnaldi’s own achievement should not be overlooked.

Ranked 104th in the world, he has become the lowest ranked male player to reach a French Open singles semi final since 1997.

His remarkable run has included nearly 20 hours spent on court across five matches, making him one of the hardest working competitors in the draw.

Despite that demanding schedule, Arnaldi insisted he still feels physically strong heading into the biggest match of his career.

He will now face fellow Italian Flavio Cobolli for a place in the French Open final.

As for Berrettini, the latest setback adds another painful entry to a career filled with both extraordinary talent and recurring injury heartbreak.

His determination remains unquestioned. The challenge now is ensuring his body can finally keep pace with his ambition.