After Stuttgart loss, returning Matteo Berrettini says he needs to be 'realistic'

WATCH: In an all-Italian Stuttgart first round, Lorenzo Sonego dethroned 2022 champion Matteo Berrettini in straight sets.

After a "dream return" from injury during the grass-court season 12 months ago, Matteo Berrettini is not letting early returns from his latest comeback discourage him. The Italian posted a lengthy social media update in both English and Italian Tuesday after losing to his to "good friend" Lorenzo Sonego 6-1, 6-2 in the first round at the ATP 250 Boss Open in Stuttgart, where he was defending champion.

Last year, Berrettini had a scintillating return from a right hand injury during the grass-court summer: He won both in Stuttgart and at Queen's Club, before COVID-19 forced him to withdraw from Wimbledon. This year, the Italian missed Madrid, Rome and Roland Garros for the second straight year after suffering an oblique injury during the Monte Carlo Rolex Masters that forced him to withdraw before his third-round match against Holger Rune.

"Despite feeling match fit and ready. I clearly was not," Berrettini wrote. "I have worked extremely hard to recover from my latest injury and to not have the dream return like I had last year is difficult to process.

"But I need to be realistic, my best level will take time and matches. I am putting in the work and the results will follow. I am fully focused on doing all I can to be match ready for Queen’s."

Currently ranked No. 21 in the world this week, Berrettini is projected drop outside the Top 32 in the world rankings next week after failing to defend his Stuttgart points, putting the 2021 finalist in danger of being unseeded at the All-England Club when Wimbledon begins on July 5.

And he wasn't the only struggling former grass-court Grand Slam finalist hit social media with a statement after losing early in Stuttgart. Defending runner-up Nick Kyrgios, who lost in straight sets to Wu Yibing in his first match of 2023, implored his fans to be "patient with \[him\]" as he too works to get back to his top level.