Lost in the drama of Matteo Berrettini’s cramping at the end of his first-round BNP Paribas Open win Wednesday was someone in his box: former World No. 4 Thomas Enqvist.
The Italian has recently been working with the 19-time ATP Tour titlist, with their relationship dating back to Berrettini’s participation in the 2021 Laver Cup, where Enqvist was vice captain for Team Europe.
“I remember the energy,” Berrettini told ATPTour.com. “When I was by myself in Boston the first time that I went there, my fitness coach arrived the day of the match, so I basically got ready with Thomas. But Thomas was the one who was taking care of my preparation, my training and everything.”
Bjorn Borg was famously one of the event’s first captains alongside rival John McEnroe. And even though Berrettini was highly complimentary of Borg, one of 29 members of the ATP No. 1 Club, he was immediately struck by Enqvist’s presence.
“I remember feeling this energy. This guy loves tennis and loves to work with players, and I just remember that,” Berrettini said. “I was like, ‘Who knows, maybe in the future we can work together’. And it happened, so I’m really happy and proud of that.”
Enqvist spent time in the offseason with Berrettini, who began his year last month in Buenos Aires. After losing the first set in four of his first six matches of 2026, the former No. 6 player in the PIF ATP Rankings also dropped his opener Wednesday against Adrian Mannarino.
But Berrettini dug in under the intense California sun and rallied past the Frenchman 4-6, 7-5, 7-5 in two hours and 49 minutes. After match point, he fell to the court due to the cramp. The battle left him smiling.
“That’s the thing that I enjoyed the most today. I kept telling myself that these are the matches and fights that I’m working for,” Berrettini said. “All those trainings, all those days, waking up and going to hit so many balls, it is all for these moments.
“I’m so glad, I’m so happy that I could do that. The cramping is because I gave it all. I just want to feel like this when I play. That’s the main goal.”
[NO 1 CLUB]
Berrettini simply hopes to put himself in such positions. The 29-year-old has struggled with injuries over the past few years and fallen as low as World No. 154.
Through the toughest moments, the Italian has worked towards moments like he enjoyed Wednesday — and opportunities like the one he’s earned Friday against two-time Nitto ATP Finals champion Alexander Zverev.
“I think you’ve got to embrace and enjoy the process that brings you to the court because if you’re too smiley out there, I feel, at least for me, it doesn’t really work 100 per cent,” Berrettini said. “I need to have the kind of fear, the kind of tension that needs to be there in order to perform my best. But at the same time, when I’m feeling like I felt today, I think that’s the key.”
[NEWSLETTER FORM]
Source link
