Matteo Berrettini claimed he was given "chills" by a remark made by an Italian tennis journalist about Holger Rune's brutal injury, and the 2021 Wimbledon finalist took to Instagram to call out the Italian media.
Discussing Rune's Achilles tendon injury and surgery, an Italian tennis commentator described it as something that could end up being "the best thing that could have happened."
After injuring his Achilles in Stockholm, Rune was heard saying that he heard something "pop." Then, the 22-year-old's diagnosis came in and it was revealed that his Achilles was "fully broken on the proximal part."
It is not a secret that the Achilles injury is one of the toughest to return from in pro sports. After undergoing surgery, Rune is guaranteed to miss at least the first couple of months of the 2026 season.
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Berrettini rips a journalist's take on Rune's injury: This stuff is really chilling
"Guys I get it all, but this stuff is really chilling, to think an injury of this magnitude could be the best thing to happen to a 22-year-old 11 player in the world is either being in bad faith or understanding very little about this sport and the sport in general," Berrettini wrote in the comment section of an Eurosport Italia post.
"Competitive maturity and not, it comes with time, with defeats, with victories, with matches lost with match points or maybe wins by playing badly. This is an injury that can radically change a person's life, let alone a career at this level. I always listen and comment almost never, but here the madness is heard."
Berrettini also urged the Italian media to change "their culture," before adding that Rune "will be back and stronger than ever."
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Before the injury, Rune went 36-22 in 2025 and won the ATP 500 tournament in Barcelona.
