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Matteo Berrettini was back in action at the 2024 Phoenix Challenger. The Italian edged out Hugo Gaston in the opening round on Wednesday, March 13.
Berrettini was last seen on-court in the second round of the 2023 US Open. He was playing against Arthur Rinderknech when he pulled out mid-match due to an ankle injury.
On his return, the 27-year-old received a wildcard to the Challenger event. He opened his campaign against Gaston and rallied from a set down to close the match 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 in his favor. His strong serve and powerful forehand were on full display as he hit 10 aces and won 34 of his 41 first-serve points in an hour and 42 minutes of play.
In a short clip posted by the tournament's official channel on social media, Berrettini can be seen soaking in the moment of victory after the winning point.
"Matteo Berrettini is back... and winning. The former world No. 6 claims his first victory since August, ousting Gaston 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 in Phoenix," posted the ATP Challenger Tour's official channel on X (formerly Twitter).
Berrettini also took to social media to share the news of his win with tennis fans. He used a laughing face, a bicep, and a hammer emoji with the caption:
"It’s been a minute, great to be back."
This is Berretini's third outing at the Phoenix Challenger, and he has previously won the title in 2019.
Matteo Berrettini "so happy" after Phoenix Challenger R1 win
In an on-court interview after his opening-round win at the 2024 Phoenix Challenger, Matteo Berrettini expressed his joy at being back on court after an injury hiatus.
The 27-year-old Italian joked that his six-month absence seemed like 10 years to him:
“I’m just so happy. It’s been 10 years! It was so long. It’s been almost seven months since my last match. I’m so happy that I was able to play, that’s what I told myself after I lost the first [set]," said Berrettini as per the ATP website.
"I was just appreciating the fact that I could play, so I’m really happy that I got the win", he added.
The 2021 Wimbledon finalist also showed his appreciation for the host club.
“I have great memories winning the title here, such a nice country club. I’m glad that I started the season here, hopefully I’m going to have many more matches here,” he said.
Berrettini, a former World No. 6, will next play against the winner of the match between Arthur Cazaux and Adam Walton in the second round of the Challenger event on Thursday, March 14.
