US OPEN

September 4, 2022

Matteo Berrettini

Press Conference

M. BERRETTINI/A. Davidovich Fokina

3-6, 7-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Five sets, 3 hours and 45 minutes. On to the next round. Assess your performance.

MATTEO BERRETTINI: Yeah, really tough match. I was down a set and a break, and I think he was playing a really good level of tennis. I wasn't feeling bad. It was just he was just playing better than me. I kept believing in my game, my strokes. I was able to take the second set in tiebreak, I think that was the key of the game. Two sets to love down would have been tougher.

Then, yeah, a fight, ups and downs. A lot of humidity today. Sweating a lot.

But, yeah, I'm really happy, because in the fifth I was feeling good. The energy was good. Unfortunately I think he got injured a little bit, and, yeah, that's not the way you want to finish your match. But I was already up a break, so I was feeling the momentum switch, yeah.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Next you play Ruud, and you have had five matches. One guy won one, and then it's been back and forth. What is the key to the match against him?

MATTEO BERRETTINI: We kind of have like similar game. We like to play, like to run around our forehands. You know, like putting a lot of spin on the ball, being aggressive.

I think the key is like to be aggressive before him (smiling). I'm going to try to make him run and not gonna run too much. Yeah, the key I think is to be aggressive, to use my weapons, my serve, obviously my forehand.

We played like a month ago. Obviously it was on clay, entirely different. We always have tough matches. We know each other. I'm sure it's going to be a great match.

Q. What will you take from today's match into the next? What things will you improve?

MATTEO BERRETTINI: I will take a lot of stuff. I think mentally I was really good, because I wasn't feeling great mentally the beginning. My tennis was there, but I was kind of not really into the match, and I was able to kind of switch this thing. That's important that you can do it during the match, you know, kind of like learning and processing what is happening, and then kind of like figuring it out and getting better. So that's one thing, for sure.

Physically I proved myself once again that I'm good at best-of-five, and I was feeling good, that I was ready for the fight in tough conditions.

Improve, I mean, there is always something you can improve. Hit more winners, obviously. And miss less, serve better.

But the important thing is, like, to play good in important moments. That's what I did today. Obviously I know I have to play a really high level against Casper, but I'm feeling ready for that.

Q. You mentioned how tough the conditions were, the humidity. It was also pretty sunny out there when you were out there.

MATTEO BERRETTINI: At the beginning, no. At the beginning it was more cloudy. That's why it was so humid. Then when the sun came out, I think there was less humidity, but obviously the temperature went up. It was kind of like back and forth with clouds and stuff.

Q. Do you ever turn your hat around if the sun comes out?

MATTEO BERRETTINI: No, I don't like to play with my hat in my face. No, it wasn't bothering me, the sun. It was actually fine. It was more obviously the humidity and sometimes -- my shorts were soaking wet in sweat, so it was tough to move sometimes. I was feeling, yeah, tough, heavier.

Q. Do you like the electronic line call system, or do you miss the human factor?

MATTEO BERRETTINI: You know, at the beginning I was, like, Oh, I don't know if I like it. But I think now it's fair. Now there cannot be any misunderstanding or anything. You hear the machine. If it's out, it's out.

I was actually during Turin last year, the only match unfortunately I played, I had a set point, Sascha Zverev served, and I didn't call it because I thought it was good, and then my box, I didn't get that my box was telling me, like, Call it. It was actually out, first serve.

You know, in this case it wouldn't happen. I think it's better like this. Obviously kind of, like it's kind of you screw up a little bit of line umpires, less job, less... but I think it's better for the sport.

Q. Just thinking back to the grass season when obviously you were in such great form, and then you fell ill with COVID, you had to pull out. I imagine that was a really tough time for you. I just wondered, at the time I don't think there was a strict rule that you had to withdraw, as such. I just wonder how unwell did you feel? Did you feel that it was just the right thing to do? Given that, how motivated are you now to have another chance at a big run here?

MATTEO BERRETTINI: I was sick. I had really a high temperature. I was feeling all my bones were broken (smiling). And, yeah, I got tested, because I think it was the right thing to do, because I had symptoms.

I'm really sensitive for COVID. You know, I had friends, fortunately, luckily nobody, I didn't lose anybody for COVID, and I thank God for that, but I have people that lost people for COVID.

Yeah, I'm really sensitive about that, and I knew that, you know, that getting tested if you are positive you're out. It was really tough. I think even if I didn't get tested, I did the right thing pulling out because it took me three weeks to get back in shape, and I don't know what would have happened if I played, like if I didn't get tested and tried to play. I could have had, I don't know, multiple tears and stuff.

I think I did the right thing. Obviously now I have an extra motivation. I feel like this year has been tough, surgery, COVID. But here I am again, healthy, and really looking forward to play my quarterfinals.

Q. You have now made the quarterfinals or better your last five Grand Slams. I'm curious, what does this statistic in particular mean to you, especially that the tour right now is in a bit of transition, where some of the other guys who are in top 10 aren't able to have that kind of consistency in the slams?

MATTEO BERRETTINI: Yeah, it's not a secret for me the slams are the goal of the season. Like I said, I missed two this year, and it was really tough to kind of overcome it mentally. But I think it proves that my level is high in slams, and I'm really solid, that I like to play best-of-five, and I give my best and I play my best tennis in the most important stages of the tour.

So this is something that sometimes I kind of forget and I have to remind myself, because it's important for my confidence, as well. It makes me proud, makes me want to do more, it makes me want to lift a bigger trophy, yeah.

Q. I see you have Giovanni in your box. You always do.

MATTEO BERRETTINI: Of course.

Q. I just wanted to ask you a little bit about what that relationship means to you. It's been a while you have known him, basically having a home away from home, having the restaurant and having him with you as a good friend in New York.

MATTEO BERRETTINI: Yeah, especially New York is such a busy city. You feel like you can do everything you want and having a place where you can go and chill and not getting like distracted, I would say. I think it's especially because I feel like family with him. He's really good guy. He treats me well. Even before, when I met him, you know, before I was, you know, the player that I am right now. So he has a huge heart.

I try to help him as much as I can when his restaurant got on fire, and obviously COVID happened, he lost his visa, but now he's back on track. We have been through tough moments, both of us for our careers, and now we are getting better together. It's special to have him there, and he has obviously a great relationship with my family, with my coaches, with my team.

Like I said, he's family, and I'm really happy that he's here.

Q. You spoke the other day about having a certain kind of fear that helps you play better. You like to have that kind of fear and it motivates you. In regard to kind of missing some of the year and you weren't sure of your level. What did you mean by that, and how does that fear kind of help you play better?

MATTEO BERRETTINI: I feel like you're a ghost. Where are you? I don't see your face. Supposed to...

Oh, here we go. Okay. Yeah, I think fear is part of my life, for sure, and my career, as well, and I think everybody's life. For me [indiscernible] is a big engine, it's something that helps me getting up in the morning, and achieving goals. Without fear I wouldn't be here.

Obviously you have to be able to kind of like handle it and overcome it in a way. Otherwise it's gonna be tough. You're not gonna enjoy it.

I always say when I'm not tight, when I don't have fear to lose, I don't have something I can miss, I never feel good. When I feel it I don't like it but I know eventually I'm gonna like it. It's kind of like screwed up, but it works (smiling).