Nick Kyrgios defends Matteo Berrettini over tennis great’s sponsorship criticism

The 89-year-old, who gained two singles titles at Roland-Garros in 1959 and 1960, is taken into account by many to be the best champion within the historical past of Italian tennis, however tore into Berrettini, who’s presently the third-ranked Italian male on tour.

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“He is handsome but his legs don’t move the way they should on court,” Pietrangeli informed Gazetta dello Sport.

“He is a good boy, but he is a bit like (Adriano) Panatta was: fantastic from the waist up, but the legs don’t move as they should.”

“He is too concerned with advertising.

“Sinner is the best Italian player.”

Jannik Sinner is the highest ranked Italian on tour, presently ranked World No. 14 and having reached the quarterfinals of each Grand Slam final yr.

Berrettini reached the 2021 Wimbledon last, the place he managed to take a set off Novak Djokovic, however has struggled to rediscover prime kind since then.

Kyrgios ripped in on Twitter, saying that Berrettini’s life off the court docket was his personal duty.

“Isn’t it his choice to prioritise?” stated the Australian.

“I can assure you this, he is making more bank than Sinner off the court and for some of us, money is important.”

Berrettini has gained over $10.7 million in prize cash in his profession, and has a signature clothes vary with Hugo Boss.

Kyrgios and Berrettini, who’ve dated Australia’s prime ranked feminine participant Ajla Tomjlanovic, each featured within the first season of Netflix’s tennis documentary Break Point.

Last yr, Kyrgios skipped Australia’s Davis Cup marketing campaign to play exhibition tournaments in Dubai and Saudi Arabia for “six figures”, and has made no secret of his need to set himself up financially for as soon as his tennis profession is over.