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via Reuters

via Reuters

Matteo Berrettini has had a mixed start to the 2022 season. In a quest to rise up the rankings chart, the Italian has suffered a massive blow, as he pulls out of the Miami Masters. This will mean further bad news for the 25-year-old, who was aiming for a consistent run of form this season.

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Berrettini’s season began at the ATP Cup, where he was able to win just a single match out of the three he played at the tournament. Further, in the Australian Open, he had a decent semifinal finish. He went down fighting against the eventual champion, Rafael Nadal in four sets. Subsequently, he had early exits in Rio and Acapulco, where he was hopeful of a strong finish. In the recently concluded Indian Wells Masters, Berrettini bowed out in the fourth round, losing to Miomir Kecmanovic of Serbia.

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Matteo Berrettini leaves a huge void in Miami Open 2022 draw

Similar to the previous year, the Wimbledon finalist has withdrawn from the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Miami. A lucky loser replaces the Italian in the main draw and will lock horns against Juan Manuel Cerundelo. The Argentine beat Dusan Lajovic 6-3, 7-5 in the first round encounter.

via Reuters

Further, with Berrettini’s withdrawal, it opens up the third quarter of the draw. Andrey Rublev and?Jannik Sinner are the only two top 15 players left in that quarter. Both these players will now have a golden opportunity to dig deep in the tournament.

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Berrettini entered the 2022 season on the back of a fantastic 2021 season. He won titles in Belgrade on clay and at Queen’s Club Championships on grass. Furthermore, he finished as runner-up at Wimbledon, losing to the 20-time Grand Slam champion, Novak Djokovic, in the summit clash. Additionally, he also had quarterfinal finishes at the French Open and the US Open, losing to Djokovic on both occasions.

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With the clay-court season just around the corner, Berrettini will hope to make a strong comeback in the coming tournaments. Can Berrettini win his first Grand Slam title this year? Let us know your views in the comments below.