Matteo Berrettini gave an interview to the Italian portal UbiTennis in which he reviewed current events in the world of tennis and in which he made a curious comparison between Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic with the NBA legends, another of his passions.
The Italian tennis player also related his point of view on the current situation of the pandemic and how the fact of playing on courts without an audience affected him. “If you had to be careful before, now more, because when the Antalya tournament is over there are only two working days left to fly to Australia, and if you are not careful, goodbye to the Australian Open. I hope there are audiences in Melbourne. LThe image that I took from 2020 was that of empty stadiums. Flushing Meadows, the Foro Italico … It was amazing. Also the first time I took a plane after confinement it seemed like a zombie movie. “
The Italian also analyzed the return of Roger Federer to the circuit and the steps that the NextGen is taking in search of dethroning the Big Three in the Grand Slam. “Federer is training and will be back as soon as possible. He has already shown that when he comes back, it is as if he has not stopped. I think we will see more balance at the top of tennis. They have yet to prove it at the Grand Slam but they are getting closer. Thiem has already won one and Medvedev quite surprised me in London. He could be the next to win a Grand Slam although there are many who have come close “
Berretini dared to talk about other of his passions, basketball, and even made an original simile of Federer, Nadal and Djokovic with the legends of this sport. “Basketball for me is a family passion. My grandparents played in Serie B and C and my father took me as a child to see Virtus in Rome. For me, Rafa Nadal is the LeBron James of tennis, in terms of physique and because they both started to stand out very young. I would compare Roger Federer to Michael Jordan and Djokovic reminds me of Kobe Bryant for how he stays cool in difficult situations. “
Finally, Berrettini was in favor of getting the coronavirus vaccine as soon as possible. “Of course we continue to talk about the coronavirus. I would like us to focus on conclusions instead of speaking on television. The doctors and nurses are working hard. I am in favor of the vaccine and will get vaccinated as soon as possible. I'm tired of living like this. “