"I'm having a romantic relationship like all other kids my age" - Matteo Berrettini defends himself after copping criticism about work ethic

Matteo Berrettini, who has had a subdued season this year, reacted strongly to criticism about his romantic relationship.

Berrettini is currently dating Italian model and television presenter Melissa Satta. They started seeing each other soon after breaking up with their respective previous partners.

While the Italian model broke up with entrepreneur Mattia Rivetti, Berrettini ended his three-year relationship with tennis player Ajla Tomljanovic.

Nicola Pietrangeli, one of Italy's greatest tennis players of all time, recently criticized Berrettini for his work ethic. Pietrangeli called Berrettini a handsome-looking guy who does not move enough on the tennis court and who was more dedicated to advertising than to tennis.

In an interview with La Repubblica, reproduced by UBI Tennis, Berrettini said he was aghast at seeing a romantic relationship being looked down upon as a professional distraction. He added that he felt such criticism was not constructive at all.

"I'm having a romantic relationship like all the other kids my age. Normal, and here too I'm sorry that such a positive thing, which is a feeling after all, is turned around as a professional distraction. Beyond the haters, I'm sorry for those who know about tennis: they are not constructive criticisms and I don't understand the reasons," he said.

Matteo Berrettini added that he has no doubts about what he is doing and that he doesn't feel like he has taken a different path from tennis.

"The more exposed you become – not even famous – and you become the target of attacks, especially if things don't go as you would like, or as people would like. Personally I have no doubts about what I'm doing. I don't feel I've taken a different path from tennis. I'm the same guy as always," he said.

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Matteo Berrettini accepts wild card into Phoenix Challenger

Matteo Berrettini at the Telcel Mexican Open 2023. (PC: Getty Images)

Matteo Berrettini is all set to participate in the Arizona Tennis Classic, a Challenger tour event in Phoenix, Arizona.

Berrettini accepted a main draw wild card for the Challenger tournament after crashing out of Indian Wells 2023 in his opening match. The Arizona Tennis Classic will be held between March 13-19.

This isn’t the first time that the Italian is contesting the Arizona Tennis Classic. Berrettini was the inaugural champion at the event in 2019, when he was ranked World No. 57.