"I’m not saying it’s going to be easy to beat Nadal there, but I think Djokovic will be harder" - Matteo Berrettini picks his preferred opponent at Wimbledon

Matteo Berrettini believes beating Novak Djokovic will be a tougher task as compared to beating Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon, despite Nadal's unbeaten run in Grand Slams this season. The No. 1 Italian player is aware of the challenge of facing both the greats, but feels Djokovic has the upper hand on the grass courts.

Last year's Wimbledon finalist, who has emerged as one of the favorites at Wimbledon, is highly likely to face either Nadal or Djokovic or both, en route to the title. In a recent interview, the Italian spoke about the difficulty of beating both players, but said Djokovic would be "harder."

"I’m not saying it’s going to be easy to beat Rafa there, but I think Novak will be harder," Berrettini said.

Matteo Berrettini returned to tennis earlier this month after a three-month layoff, during which he underwent surgery on his right hand. However, he has already won consecutive tournaments at Stuttgart and the Queen's Club, making him one of the favorites at Wimbledon.

While he feels the Serbian superstar has the edge at Wimbledon, Berrettini would rather face him at the French Open over Nadal, who is a 14-time champion at the Paris Major.

“I think on grass Novak for the way I play is tougher to beat, but obviously if you ask me ‘[do] you want to play Novak or Rafa in Paris?’ I would say Novak. It depends on the competition," Matteo Berrettini said.

Despite heading into Wimbledon on a nine-match winning streak, the World No. 10 does not consider himself the favorite for the event as long as Djokovic and Nadal are present in the draw.

He spoke about their legacy in the sport, particularly in the biggest events, referencing Nadal's incredible Australian Open and French Open campaigns this season.

“I think those two guys have shown us many times that they can win. Even when they weren’t in the best shape, they won tournaments like the Slams. Nadal won the Australian Open and Paris after he was injured, so yes I wouldn’t consider myself the favourite, but I like to think that I can win it,” continued Berrettini.

Matteo Berrettini believes he is "getting closer" to beating Novak Djokovic

The 2021 US Open men's singles quarterfinal

During the interview, Matteo Berrettini opined that beating Novak Djokovic at a Grand Slam is one of the hardest things to do in tennis. Having said that, he is feeling increasingly confident about his chances of beating the 20-time Major champion at the big events and is learning more about his game each time they play.

“Probably beating him in a Slam is like one of the toughest things you can ever think to do. Last year, he won three Grand Slams and made it to the finals of the fourth. This makes it hard to find a way to beat him," Berrettini said.

"But one thing is for sure: every time I play him in a Slam, I feel like I’m getting closer to him because, obviously, the more you play against someone, the more you learn about them," he added.

Djokovic has won all of the pair's four career meetings so far. Three of those matches have come at a Major tournament, and Berrettini took a set off the Serb each time. They have faced each other twice in the quarterfinals (2021 US Open and 2021 French Open) and once in the final (2021 Wimbledon).

The 26-year-old also revealed that he is watching footage of Djokovic's past matches to give himself the best chance of beating him.