The ex-partner of a tennis star has gone public after fuel was poured on rumours she is the reason two players have fallen out.
Speculation has swirled across cyberspace this week with allegations Italian star Matteo Berrettini’s ex girlfriend Vanessa Bellini had a romance with Lorenzo Mussetti.
The two Italian players were once considered to be close friends, however, Berrettini, the 2021 Wimbledon runner-up, has recently unfollowed his countryman on Instagram.
The rumours exploded on Tuesday (AEDT) when Berrettini, 30, was asked if Musetti’s recent Lyon Open title in France serves as “inspiration” for him.
Speaking at the Vienna Open in Austria, Berrettini didn’t answer immediately but came out with, “Is it live?” before giving seemingly a restrained response.
Through several pauses and awkward laughs, he said, “It’s okay. I know he worked really hard to come back and I guess he deserved it.”
Berrettini then walked away from the camera.
Berrettini and Bellini broke up recently after nearly a year of dating, The New York Post reports.
The Italian dancer has finally addressed the accusations while responding to a comment made on an Instagram post.
Her post, written in Italian, can be translated as: “I tolerate all the bulls*** you say and write and I let it go (and I read a lot but I learned that this is how the world is made).
“But to hear that I would have betrayed Matteo, really. Rinse your mouth before you speak.”
Berrettini and Mussetti are both playing in Vienna and could potentially play in the semi-final if they progress that far.
Mussetti has not address the rumours publicly.
He and his girlfriend, Veronica Confalonieri, still follow each other on social media.
The couple has been together since 2022 and share two sons together, two-year-old Ludovico and near one-year-old Leandro, who was born in November 2025.
Musetti recently posted various photos of the couple while in Tokyo earlier this month.
Both Berrettini and Musetti were members of the 2024 Davis Cup-winning team together. In 2025, Musetti didn’t make himself available for the selection while Berrettini went on to win another tournament title.
This year, Berrettini was not selected for Italy’s Davis Cup squad. Captain Filippo Volandri selected Flavio Cobolli, Luciano Darderi, Andrea Vavassouri, Simone Bolelli and Musetti.
Some have speculated if Berrettini’s snub had to do with the seemingly strained relationship. Volandri cited his selections were based on current rankings.
“The next few weeks leading up to our new Davis Cup adventure will be crucial for me,” he told Italian media per Tennis 365.
“My entire staff and I will work to assess each player’s condition to determine their availability, so we can field the best possible lineup.
“We know we have a very strong team, thanks to a wide roster of players, including Matteo Berrettini, Matteo Arnaldi, and Lorenzo Sonego, key players in past seasons.”
The both play their Round of 16 matches on Friday morning (AEDT).