Behind every powerful forehand and hard-fought victory lies a story few fans ever see. As Matteo Berrettini battled his way through the French Open quarterfinals, the Italian ATP Pro revealed that his toughest opponent wasn’t standing across the net; it was the “darkness” he had been fighting.

“I actually remember how sad I was,” said Berrettini during the post-match press conference. “And now I’m not surprised. But I just proved to myself once again that I could do it. That even in the toughest moment, I found the energy. And I was lucky enough to have people around me that help me to find that kind of energy, to find those positive vibes, those positive thoughts, which are not easy to find.”

Matteo Berrettini had a fair share of struggles in recent years. Starting from 2022, when the Italian ATP Pro reached his career-high ranking of World No. 6, he underwent right-hand surgery. While that injury was concerning enough, Berrettini also suffered an abdominal muscle tear. Since then, the trend continued as he struggled with frequent injuries.

From an ankle ligament rupture in 2023 to consistent abdominal issues until 2025, Berrettini had difficulties staying active and missed several major tournaments. Specifically, since 2022, the 30-year-old tennis star has missed four consecutive French Opens. Therefore, the ongoing Roland Garros competition represents a significant opportunity for him to make a comeback.

But amid that, the darkness of self-doubt kicked in and lingered around Berrettini during the 2026 French Open. As such, he seemingly endured a recurring cycle of his mind being ready but his body failing.

“When you’re in the darkness a little bit, when things are not coming your way, and you’re struggling just to hit a few balls or just struggling to compete. That’s why I feel like this,” Berrettini added. “Because from the very first point until the last, I was there, I was enjoying, I was talking good to myself, and this is what tennis means to me. Being pumped, happy, and ready to compete.”

However, Berrettini eventually overcame the complications. And much of that credit goes to his coaching staff, family, and friends, who consistently encouraged the 30-year-old Italian ATP Pro. On Monday, Berrettini clashed against Juan Manuel Cerundolo on Court Suzanne Lenglen. Cerundolo, coming off a victory over World No.1 Jannik Sinner, caught quite some buzz following that second-round win.

However, in the fourth-round match, Matteo Berrettini stood as a formidable player to neutralize the Argentine in three straight sets (6-3, 7-6, 7-6). This particular match showcased how improved and prepared the Italian star has come for the 2026 French Open. But there are still a few obstacles for him to cross.

For a place in the semifinals, Berrettini (World No. 47) will face his compatriot Matteo Arnaldi (World No. 53) on Wednesday. With a victory, he will line up a match against either Felix Auger-Aliassime or Flavio Cobolli.

Matteo Berrettini previews Matteo Arnaldi matchup

While veterans like Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev have already exited the 2026 French Open, Matteo Berrettini is still in the competition. Although the 30-year-old Italian has never won a Grand Slam title, he has reached the finals at Wimbledon (2021) and made it to the semifinals of the Australian Open (2022) and US Open (2019).

With the absence of Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, and Alexander Zverev on the other side of the draw, Berrettini has a solid chance to reach another Grand Slam final at the French Open 2026. However, before that, he will need to overcome fellow Italian Matteo Arnaldi in the quarterfinals, and potentially another compatriot, Flavio Cobolli, in the semifinals.

Nevertheless, when asked about facing Arnaldi next, Berrettini appeared quite confident.

“I wish him the best,” said Berrettini in the aforementioned press conference. “There is no like when you’re playing for yourself. It doesn’t really matter who you’re playing. Of course, if you’re playing a fellow Italian, it’s a little bit trickier. But it’s part of the game. It’s part of what we do… It’s just good for Italian tennis.”

As things stand, Matteo Berrettini has never gone past the quarterfinals stage in the French Open. Facing a similarly ranked opponent in the Round of 8 match on Wednesday has presented the veteran with a suitable opportunity to reach his career-best run at Roland Garros. Hence, it will be interesting to see how everything pans out for the 30-year-old Italian ATP Pro.