AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 21, 2022

Matteo Berrettini

Press Conference

M. BERRETTINI/C. Alcaraz

6-2, 7-6, 4-6, 2-6, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Well done. Fantastic match. What do you think made the difference in the end?

MATTEO BERRETTINI: I think I was telling myself that the guy that would have won the match was the guy that wanted it more. So I guess I wanted it more.

But this is just sentence I was telling myself to feel ready, and I think in the end it's about fighting and trying and do the right things.

I really fought hard. Yeah, that's what I think made the difference.

THE MODERATOR: Questions?

Q. How is your ankle feeling?

MATTEO BERRETTINI: I'm good. I'm good. Luckily it wasn't a big one. I'm used to this. So yeah, I'm good. Thank you.

Q. We all know how good Carlos is. He's only 18. Do you think when it gets into a fifth-set tiebreak that having your experience gives you an edge?

MATTEO BERRETTINI: Yes or no. I think, for example, I never played -- I played a fifth-set tiebreaker but I never played up to 10, and I think it's pretty weird. I think it's different, something that we are not used to it. And I don't know if I'm against it or I like it, but, I mean, today I won, so... I guess I like it (smiling).

I think the difference is that the last time he beat me 7-6 in the third, so he has experience. Today I was, I guess, better than him in certain moments. And, yeah, for sure the fact that he's young, in a slam is different than in normal tournament.

Q. You play Pablo next. Is it a little strange, you have both been on the tour quite a while but you've never played yet. Is that strange? What are your thoughts on that match?

MATTEO BERRETTINI: Yeah, we have been on tour for, him more than me, so yeah, we practiced once, I remember, but we never played in some matches.

It's gonna be an interesting one. He's a really solid player. He's playing good. He likes to play here in Australia. He likes to play on hard. Even though everybody thinks he can play just on clay, I think he's a really good player on hard.

It's going to be a really tough one, because when you're playing a fourth round in a slam, it's always going to be a tough match. I'm feeling confident. I think the level today was really high and I'm getting better and better.