"I want to explore my limits," says Berrettini ahead of his debut in Vienna

Former world number 6, Matteo Berrettini has been struggling with recurring injuries for several years.

Berrettini is searching for his best form. A former Masters 1000 and Grand Slam finalist, the Italian, a former top 10 player now aged 29, is currently ranked 59th in the world.

Set to make his debut this Wednesday against Alexei Popyrin in Vienna, he wants to string together tournaments again without physical discomfort, having missed months of competition this year due to injuries. In a press conference before playing in the Austrian tournament, the Rome native explained his renewed motivation in recent weeks.

"I realized that feelings of anger and frustration are a great source of energy. I feel that the rage I have for everything that has happened to me will allow me to channel this energy in the right way so that I want even more to enjoy this sport and challenge myself.

I want to explore my limits because I still love this sport and I know I have the necessary skills to perform at the highest level. When I trained with Sinner a few days ago, I realized that my level has remained the same and that I was comfortable on the court.

Going through tough times has helped me understand that I need to be patient and that things will start to improve as I accumulate competition hours. For now, I feel good, but I know I might not be able to maintain my maximum effort throughout an entire match," Berrettini told Punto de Break.