The umpteenth shoulder operation and five months of announced non-competition layover, were not enough to stop this talent and the determination of this boy from Arezzo, class of '89. He forged ahead and returned to competition at the end of February, stepping stepped up on the podium four times during the most recent and important events and he has overtaken the other Italian, Antonio Ciano, in the Italian hierarchy and international ranking. The secret was to take one day at a time, without thinking too hard about the future, after a long series of injuries which has slowed down his sporting career. A great fan of tennis and rugby, his sports models are Roger Federer and Martin Castrogiovanni, for the commitment and perseverance they put into their sports. The same attributes that Matteo is ready to bring with him to Brazil.