Draper said it wasn’t fair on Alcaraz to not be 100% fit, with the British number one having since withdrawn from the United Cup due to the problem.

But it hasn’t stopped the Spaniard from working hard ahead of the new season, with Alcaraz running a kilometre in three minutes in a recent training session.

And he has now taken to the court with Berrettini, who enjoyed a stunning comeback season after his injury issues.

Carlos Alcaraz and Matteo Berrettini exchange messages after practising together

The Italian won three titles and climbed to 34th in the ATP rankings, helping Italy win back-to-back Davis Cups.

And Berrettini has now shared a photo of him and Alcaraz on court in Murcia on his Instagram story, writing: “Gracias Carlitos!”

READ MORE: Carlos Alcaraz confirmed to play another exhibition match in America in 2025 which will be hosted by Olympic gold medalist

Four-time Grand Slam champion Alcaraz then reshared the post on his Instagram story, saying: “Gracias a ti Matteo!”

The Spaniard and the Italian have met four times in ATP Tour action, with Alcaraz boasting a 3-1 win-loss record.

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The 2025 Australian Open is rapidly approaching, and both Alcaraz and Berrettini have fine chances of progressing far.

Spanish star Alcaraz is already chasing a fifth Grand Slam title at the age of just 21, having won the French Open and Wimbledon last time out.

At SW19, Alcaraz has now beaten Novak Djokovic in successive finals, although the Serbian did beat Berrettini to win the 2021 final.

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That is the Italian’s only Grand Slam final appearance to date, but he did manage plenty of success in 2024, with wins at Kitzbuhel, Gstaad and Marrakech taking his ATP Tour title haul to 10.

Djokovic will likely be a threat in Melbourne next month, as will Berrettini’s Davis Cup teammate and Australian Open defending champion Jannik Sinner.

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