Wimbledon star Lorenzo Sonego blames Matteo Berrettini loss on ‘s*** weather’

Highlights from day 4 at Wimbledon

Lorenzo Sonego blamed the English weather for his first-round defeat to Matteo Berrettini at Wimbledon in a match that spanned three days as a result of continued delays. The pair were due to face off on Tuesday but saw the first day of their meeting disrupted by a near-washout in SW19, while the rain also caused plenty of problems when they resumed playing on Wednesday.

A number of slips on the slick grass during the third set was a source of frustration for both players, with Sonego’s nasty fall early in the fourth causing the match to be suspended on Wednesday evening. The action resumed on Thursday, only for Berrettini to wrap up proceedings by taking the fourth set to earn a 6-7 (5) 6-3 7-6 (7) 6-3 victory.

Sonego was quick to blame the wet weather for his defeat in his post-match press conference, telling reporters: “It’s tough to play one match in three days. Three different conditions, three different matches. He played very well yesterday and today. I think it was different on the first day. But the weather was s***.”

Berrettini, meanwhile, was thankful for the lengthy breaks between sets over the course of the three-day match, which helped him to stay fresh after recovering from an abdominal injury just before the start of Wimbledon.

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“In a way, it was perfect because I played one set, two sets, then one set,” said the Italian. “I didn’t stress my body too much. I didn’t know if I was ready or not. I didn’t practice much, I didn’t serve much, like what you’re supposed to do before a tournament, before a Grand Slam.

“At the same time, my will of playing was bigger than my preparation, I guess. I was like, ‘Okay, let’s see what I can do.’ I know in my heart I want to play this tournament, doesn’t matter the result.”

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It remains to be seen whether Friday’s play at Wimbledon will be disrupted by more showers, although sunny weather has been forecast on day five along with a high of 29 degrees Celsius. There is a chance that the rain could make an unwelcome return over the weekend, though, with thunder and showers expected to wreak havoc at the All England Club on Saturday.

The worst-affected day of the week so far was on Tuesday, when all play on outside courts was halted due to the inclement weather. It resulted in the cancellation of no less than 69 matches, while the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) confirmed that tickets bought for Courts Two and Three as well as grounds passes bought before 5pm would be refunded in full.

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