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Former Italian tennis player Filippo Volandri is convinced that Matteo Berrettini will shake off his recent troubles and return as a better player on tour in the coming weeks.
Berrettini's start to the 2023 season has been underwhelming, with the Italian facing three first-round defeats in the five tournaments he has played so far. With compatriot Jannik Sinner rising up the ranks, Berrettini has felt the added pressure to live up to the expectations of Italian fans.
Speaking of Sinner's recent growth on tour, Volandri stated that he was proud to see the youngster come so close to taking his first ever Masters 1000 title at the Miami Open, adding that he is clearly improving on several aspects of the game.
"Proud to see Jannik [Sinner] come so close to taking home the first Masters 1000 and it was crazy to see him beat Alcaraz. We are happy to have another player writing the history of our tennis. He is improving on many aspects visibly," said Volandri in a conversation with Ubitennis.
Meanwhile, Volandri expressed concerns over Berrettini's inability to get back on form after the off-season break. However, he claimed that the World No. 22 is working his way through and that he will become a "better player" in the coming weeks.
"In the past, Matteo [Berrettini] was able to win again immediately after a two-month break, but this remains something extraordinary. He is working on himself, I am absolutely confident that in the coming weeks we will see a better player," he opined.
Lorenzo Musetti has been another Italian lacking form in recent times. But Volandri is "confident" about both Musetti and Berrettini performing well at the upcoming Monte-Carlo Masters.
"I know what work they are doing with their teams, they are rolling up their sleeves. I'm sure both will do well. A good result could come for both of them in Monte-Carlo, I'm confident," asserted Volandri.
Matteo Berrettini confident of a strong return to tour in clay season
Matteo Berrettini himself is positive about putting the Sunshine Doubles upset behind him and is raring to mark a strong comeback on tour in the clay season. Taking to social media after his Miami Open first-round exit, Berrettini declared that he will have a strong training block before the Monte-Carlo Masters.
"Not the results I hoped for in Indian Wells, Phoenix, and Miami. But a lot of progress has been made on the practice court. My focus now shifts to the clay court season. Looking forward to a strong training block before my first event in Monte-Carlo. Thank you for the continued support," Berrettini captioned his Instagram post.
Matteo Berrettini has only been able to register four wins out of nine games in 2023 and will be hopeful of improving his win-loss record in the clay season.
