Berrettini: "I've been through some very dark times".

A few years ago, Matteo Berrettini had a bright future ahead of him, not least thanks to his Wimbledon final in 2021, which he lost to Novak Djokovic.

Unfortunately for the Italian, a series of sad events, including a hand injury and COVID, have kept him off the courts and away from major tennis events.

But today, he feels ready and confident. He declares: "The feeling of belonging to the best tennis players in the world has never left me.

I've been through some very dark times, but deep down I knew I had what it took to be here.

Working extremely hard over the last few years, I kept telling myself not to forget everything I'd done and to constantly remind myself that I deserved every good thing that came my way.

Really, that's how I feel right now.

I need to play matches, to feel the heat of competition, to feel anger and sadness when I lose.

Now I realize that's what I've been fighting so hard for."

Berrettini will face Jack Draper in the quarter-finals of the ATP 500 Doha this Thursday.