Milan (AFP)
Recent Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini was forced to give up the Tokyo Olympics due to a muscle injury, the Italian Olympic Committee (Cuneo) announced on Sunday.
Berrettini suffered the injury in London, where he became the first Italian player to reach the Wimbledon singles final, before losing to Novak Djokovic in four sets.
Berretti had to withdraw from the Olympic tournament "because of the after-effects of a muscle injury, an unwelcome consequence of his achievement at Wimbledon," Cuneo explained.
The 25-year-old was expected to spearhead an Italian side made up of Fabio Fognini, Lorenzo Sonego and Lorenzo Musetti on the men's side, and Sara Errani, Jasmine Paolini and Camila Giorgi on the women's side.
"Berrettini surpassed himself in the final and had already been in pain since Monday. Fortunately, this is not about the abdominal problem he has experienced in the past. If it had been the case, his return from injury would have been much longer and more delicate ", detailed his trainer Vincenzo Santopadre at the Gazzetta Dello Sport.
The Italian team for the Tokyo Games therefore comprises 384 athletes, the Italian Tennis Federation not being authorized to make substitutions.
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