Top 10 Quotes of 2021: Matteo Berrettini, Ajla Tomljanovic become Wimbledon’s power couple

7. Watching is Stressful

As a dramatic Wimbledon unfolded on both men’s and women’s sides, power couple Matteo Berrettini and Ajla Tomljanovic found the old adage proved true: it’s much easier to play a match than watch one.

“My hands get so sweaty, it’s unbelievable,” joked Berrettini in a joint interview with Tomljanovic after the two edged into the round of 16. “I’m the most stressed guy on the planet!”

On that day Berrettini, seeded No. 7 and fresh off a second career grass-court title at Queen’s Club, made routine work of Aljaz Bedene while Tomljanovic rallied from a set and a break down to defeat former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko in an unforgettable encounter.

Scheduled to play at the same time, Berrettini rushed off court for a score update, not knowing Tomljanovic was on the verge of her best Grand Slam result since reaching the second week of Roland Garros in 2014.

“I didn’t if she’d won or not because they weren’t showing her score [on the changeovers],” he explained. “I thought maybe she’d finished and was on her way, and then I just started making movies, like she was upset because she lost.”

I feel 10 times more stress watching [Ajla's] match than when I'm actually playing mine! Matteo Berrettini

The more pragmatic of the two, Tomljanovic preferred the arrangement for its simplicity.

“This way we finish around the same time, and it takes the stress away of watching in the locker room. If I’ve just finished and he’s in third set, I don’t always go to court to watch because of superstition, unless he’s down and maybe that might change things up.”

Tennis fans saw that stress on full display when Berrettini watched Tomljanovic take on hometown hero Emma Raducanu in front of a partisan crowd: an infamous GIF captured the Italian gripping the bars in front of his seat for dramatic effect.

“It’s ten times more stress to watch her match than play one,” he explained. “I’d rather play!”

Tomljanovic took over spectator duties after she bowed out to eventual champion Ashleigh Barty in the quarterfinals, cheering Berrettini all the way to his first Grand Slam final against Novak Djokovic.

Though he left SW19 without the trophy, Berrettini had plenty to celebrate when he and Tomljanovic got to cheer Italy on to their first Euro victory since 1968.

From cheering to guest appearances at the Met Gala, fans got an up close and personal look at the sport’s most dynamic duo thanks to this season of My Tennis Life, which followed Tomljanovic—and, by extension, Berrettini—through their best-ever seasons on tour.

The two are currently enjoying an off-season in Italy, ostensibly preparing to cheer each other through even bigger results in 2022.