- Racing the clock to be ready for Melbourne Park showdown
Matteo Berrettini has hit a speed bump ahead of his Australian Open clash against local hope Alex de Minaur, with mystery surrounding the Italian’s health.
Former world No.6 Berrettini was forced to pull the plug early from his appearance at an exhibition match at Melbourne Park due to illness.
The former Wimbledon finalist had played just one match against Norway’s Nicolai Budkov Kjaer at Red Bull Bassline on Friday night before retiring early.
Slated to face de Minaur in the first round of the Open on Monday, Berrettini’s run-in with illness is the latest of fitness troubles after an injury-ravaged 2025 campaign.
Knocked out in the second round at last year’s Australian Open, Berrettini was forced to retire from the Italian Open due to an oblique injury.
Berrettini, world No.56, then ruled himself out of the French Open and the US Open following a flare-up of the same issue.
Italian hope and former world No.6 Matteo Berrettini withdrew from an exhibition match at Melbourne Park because of illness
Australian hope Alex de Minaur has drawn the Italian in round one of the Australian Open
Despite question marks over Berrettini, de Minaur is expecting a tough hitout against the Italian
The 30-year-old has now missed seven grand slams in four years, but was able to return in time to play a pivotal role in Italy’s Davis Cup win in November.
Berrettini – who reached the Australian Open semi-finals in 2022 – boasts a 3-2 lead against world No.6 De Minaur in the head-to-head count.
But the Sydneysider’s wins over the Italian have both come on hard courts.
Berrettini is the first opponent in a nightmare draw for de Minaur, who enters his home grand slam with his highest-ever seeding.
Argentina’s world No.74 Mariano Navone or Serbia’s 96th-ranked Hamad Medjedovic wait for de Minaur should he defeat Berrettini.
American 29th seed Frances Tiafoe is a likely opponent in round three, with potential shootouts against grand slam nemesis Alexander Bublik in the last 16, before the top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz in the quarter-finals.
‘Ultimately, every single player in the draw is extremely tough,’ de Minaur said on Friday.
‘I knew going in that there were going to be many unseeded players which were going to be really tough match-ups.
‘It’s going to be a battle, but I’m looking forward to it. It basically just means that I’m going to have to be firing from the word go.
‘We’ve had some good matches in the past. Yeah, hopefully I’ll be ready for it.’
