Berrettini withdraws from Australian Open with foot injury

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Matteo Berrettini withdrew from the Australian Open on Sunday on the eve his scheduled first-round match because of foot injury, another setback for the Wimbledon runner-up in 2021.

Berrettini, a 2022 semifinalist at Melbourne Park, was due to play 2023 finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas on Rod Laver Arena on Monday.

“Matteo Berrettini has withdrawn from the Australian Open with a right foot injury,” tournament organizers said in a statement. “Wishing you a quick recovery.”

Zizou Bergs, a lucky loser from qualifying, was elevated to the main draw to face seventh-seeded Tsitsipas.

The 27-year-old Berrettini had a run of ailments in 2023, including an early end to his season when he was forced to withdraw from his second-round match at the U.S. Open after injuring an ankle.

He also missed several weeks with a tear in an oblique muscle, and had dropped to No. 125 in the ATP rankings from a career-high No. 6.

His best Grand Slam result was at Wimbledon in 2021, where he lost the final to Novak Djokovic.

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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis