There was a time when the name Matteo Berrettini struck fear into opponents, particularly on faster courts. With his imposing physique, thunderous serve, delicate touch at the net, and a run to the final at Wimbledon Championships, the Italian firmly established himself among the elite of the ATP Tour.

The gentle giant became one of the most popular figures on tour, admired not only for his game but also for his charisma. Now approaching 30, Berrettini admits his priorities have shifted. He plays primarily for the love of the sport — and hopes to use his voice to ensure South American tournaments maintain their place on the global tennis calendar.

Currently ranked outside the world’s top 50, Berrettini made a different scheduling choice this season. While many top players opted for events in Asia and Europe, he headed to South America for the February clay swing.

He competed in Buenos Aires and at the Rio Open in Rio de Janeiro, where his campaign ended against Czech clay-court specialist Vít Kopřiva. His time in Santiago was also brief, suffering a first-round exit. Despite the results, Berrettini remains upbeat.

“Now I just want to enjoy tennis, play in front of my family and friends, and savour everything I’ve achieved.

I may only be turning thirty, but I’ve been through a lot of health issues. If I wanted to get back to the level I used to be at, I know it would take a lot of time,” he told Chilean newspaper El Mercurio.

What concerns him more than his ranking, however, is what he sees as the marginalisation of South American tournaments. The region currently hosts only three ATP events during the February swing, compared to nine in Asia — with China alone staging six tournaments.

“Personally, I think South America deserves to have a top-level tournament on the tour. People here are passionate about the sport, and there are top players as well. The stadiums in Buenos Aires and Rio were packed, and I know Santiago can offer the same,” he said.

The numbers support his argument. There are currently 12 South Americans ranked inside the ATP top 100. By contrast, only two players representing Asian nations — Alexander Bublik and Alexander Shevchenko — feature in that bracket, and both were born in Russia.

For Berrettini, the issue goes beyond rankings and scheduling.

“Tennis and sport have always been about emotions, the crowd, the atmosphere on court. These are the factors the ATP should consider when allocating major tournaments. And South America ticks all those boxes,” he concluded.