Five Minutes With... Matteo Berrettini on last-minute plans, '360' self care and his eclectic music taste

WATCH: From spa buddies to Stuttgart rivals... Lorenzo Sonego defeats Matteo Berrettini in the 2023 Boss Open first round

Back on his favorite grass courts, Matteo Berrettini is easing back into action as he seeks to jump-start his season at Wimbledon.

The Italian reached the final at Wimbledon in 2021 and last year he amassed a nine-match winning streak on the surface with titles at Stuttgart and Queen’s Club. But this year, he has struggled with a lingering abdominal injury that has frequently kept him off the courts, having only played one match in two months ahead of Wimbledon. He’ll also face a familiar opponent in the first round, drawn against countryman Lorenzo Sonego—the same player who routed him in Stuttgart.

Thankfully for Berrettini, he knows how to stay grounded despite the challenges. Part of it is due to his “360” approach to physical and mental health. The other part, meanwhile, involves plenty of "aggressive Italian rock music" and dreams of a seaside spot somewhere sunny.

Baseline caught up with the Italian on the set of Warm & Fuzzy to discuss self care, music preferences, and why he’d rather take Sonego to the spa instead of the tennis court:

Q. When I say ‘self care’, what does that mean for you?

BERRETTINI: For me, I think it's just about taking care of yourself in all the aspects of your life. When we think about athletes, obviously you think about the diet for example, and you think about the sleep—the physical. But for us, I think it's really, really important our mental health as well.

So for me 'self care' means, like, taking care of myself in a 360 way.

Q. If you were going to the spa, who would you bring along for some relaxation time?

BERRETTINI: I think I will bring... probably Lorenzo Sonego, because we would definitely relax together. But at the same time, he's funny, so we would have fun as well.

Q. Any TV shows you’re binge-watching these days?

BERRETTINI: Oof... You know, recently I haven't been watching much TV. But some months ago, I finished the Peaky Blinders series. It was one of the best I watched, I think.

Q. How far in advance do you plan your off-season vacations?

BERRETTINI: Wow, yeah that's a tough one. I tried to plan it, like, maybe like a couple of months before but then you never know what it's happening. Like, it depends if you go to the Finals, and it also depends about the Davis Cup.

So it's always last minute. Which is in the end the best, like, because you never really know until the season is over.

Q. What would your ideal destinations look like?

BERRETTINI: I like the heat. I like the sun. I like the sea. So for me, a vacation always means somewhere warm and stuff. I'm not really like a mountain or skiing guy at all.

Q. If tennis had walkout music, what would be your theme song?

BERRETTINI: [Laughing] Probably some rap, or like, some aggressive Italian rock music. I would prefer something fast and aggressive just to pump myself up a little bit.

Q. And when you want to relax, what type of music calms you down?

BERRETTINI: I love this DJ that's called Black Coffee. He does like… how to explain it? It’s a South African guy who does, like, Afro-house and dance music. I’m a huge fan.

Q. What was the last concert that you went to see?

BERRETTINI: Concerts? Wow, good question. I think it would be Marracash—he's an Italian singer-rapper—in Florence. He's one of my favorites. So, it was a nice one.