Vanessa Bellini, the former partner of Italian tennis player Matteo Berrettini, has publicly denied rumors that she cheated with fellow Italian player Lorenzo Musetti. The denials come after speculation intensified regarding a rift between Berrettini and Musetti, who were once considered close friends.
Berrettini, the 2021 Wimbledon runner-up, recently unfollowed Musetti on Instagram, adding fuel to the rumors. The speculation reached a peak when Berrettini, speaking at the Vienna Open, gave a hesitant response to a question about whether Musetti's recent Lyon Open title served as "inspiration" for him. After a pause and an awkward laugh, Berrettini stated, "It’s okay. I know he worked really hard to come back and I guess he deserved it," before walking away from the camera.
Berrettini and Bellini reportedly ended their nearly year-long relationship recently. Bellini addressed the accusations in a response to a comment on an Instagram post, stating in Italian, "I tolerate all the bulls*** you say and write and I let it go... But to hear that I would have betrayed Matteo, really. Rinse your mouth before you speak."
Musetti, who has not publicly addressed the rumors, remains in a relationship with Veronica Confalonieri. The couple, who have been together since 2022 and share two young sons, continue to follow each other on social media. Musetti recently shared photos of himself with Confalonieri from a trip to Tokyo.
Both Berrettini and Musetti were part of the 2024 Davis Cup-winning Italian team. However, Musetti did not make himself available for the Davis Cup squad this year, while Berrettini was also not selected. Davis Cup captain Filippo Volandri cited player rankings as the basis for his selections, which included Flavio Cobolli, Luciano Darderi, Andrea Vavassori, Simone Bolelli, and Musetti. Volandri noted that players like Berrettini, Matteo Arnaldi, and Lorenzo Sonego have been key players in past seasons.
Berrettini and Musetti are both competing in the Vienna tournament, with a potential semi-final match between them if both advance.