US OPEN

September 2, 2022

Matteo Berrettini

Press Conference

M. BERRETTINI/A. Murray

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

THE MODERATOR: Four sets, almost four hours. Take us through the match, your thoughts on your level of play.

MATTEO BERRETTINI: Yeah, I think I played a really good match. In the third I had a lot of chances, and I couldn't get them. Again, that's tennis.

I think Andy played a really good tiebreak. I played another good tiebreak. I found myself down a break in the fourth. But I kept thinking that I was doing the right things, that the chances I had in the previous sets, they will come again. That was my mindset.

I think that was the right one because at the end it paid off. I'm really happy for that.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. After the match you spoke to the umpire, unhappy with the crowd or the people coming and going during the match. Clearly was a distraction for both players. What do you think should be done by organizers to stop that while play is on?

MATTEO BERRETTINI: It was a distraction a little bit. But I think we're following the clock, right? Obviously the ref is calling the time. We always have a look at the clock, like, time violation and everything. Then you're ready to serve. You have to wait 20, 25 seconds more because people are, like, sitting down.

I get it because it's a really big stadium, it's not easy. Obviously people, they paid tickets. They want to sit in their seats.

But I think we should play without waiting. If we're waiting for anybody every time, for everybody for every time, like, we're going to miss so much time.

I think especially when we play best-of-five, the matches are really long enough. We don't have to have extra time. Unfortunately then we cannot do anything if someone is fainting like happened today, happened the other day.

Obviously it wasn't about that. It was more about that, especially in the louder crowds and stuff, we have to play, otherwise we're waiting. Also for people at home, everybody watching the match, it's not nice to waste so much time, I think, yeah.

Q. Roger Federer is talking about coming back to Laver Cup, probably to play Basel. With all the talk about Serena, can you talk about the impact Roger has had on this game, what it will be like to have him back, if he plays the tour?

MATTEO BERRETTINI: I think I said it so many times. Probably is never going to be enough.

One, the reason why I'm here now is Roger. He was my idol when I was growing up. I was cheering for him. So I want him back really badly.

I think it was great, is still great for tennis. He brought tennis to even, like, a higher level, just for the stuff he did on court, off court. Like Serena, I guess, one of a kind, you know?

I wish him, like, really a speedy recovery, whatever he's doing to come back. Yeah, I wish I could play like one more time against him.

Q. You started your Grand Slam year so well in Australia by making the semifinals. Then there was the bad luck to miss the French Open, the bad luck to miss Wimbledon. When you lost your matches in Canada and Cincy, were you coming into this tournament thinking maybe it's not going to happen for you again because you didn't get the matches, more Grand Slam bad luck, or were you confident?

MATTEO BERRETTINI: Yeah, I thought that. I think that kind of thought is the one that kind of brought me here to the forefront. When I have that kind of fear, I always play my best tennis. I always said it: it's a tricky thought that I have, or at least I think it works for everybody, but if you don't have fear for something, if you're not tight, I don't think you're going to give your best.

Unfortunately this tournament came with not a lot of confidence for one reason or another. Mostly for injuries.

I always wanted to play good here. Especially in the slams, like you said. Today, in this year, I didn't have a lot of confidence, I didn't have a lot of matches. But I had a lot of will playing good, and I'm in the fourth round again.

Still not done yet, but happy for what is happening.

Q. What are your thoughts on your next opponent, Davidovich Fokina?

MATTEO BERRETTINI: Yeah, I don't know him that well. I lost against him last year in Monte-Carlo. Yeah, first match after my tear in Australia.

Yeah, I think he's a really good player, really talented, physically really strong. Obviously I didn't watch anything today because I was playing.

But I think it's going to be a tough match. We actually practiced once before the tournament started, so I kind of like know a little bit expecting what he's going to do.

I mean, we are in the fourth round in a slam. He's playing well. He's feeling confident. He had, like, already this year he reached, in Monte-Carlo, his first Masters 1000 final. For sure he's feeling confident.

I'm feeling confident, as well. So really looking forward for that.

Q. It's your fourth consecutive appearance here in the US Open. How do you feel about that, in the round of 16?

MATTEO BERRETTINI: I feel that I'm happy and I feel that I like to play in New York. I always been. This is special tournament for me. I think three years ago when I played semis, it was kind of like the turning point of my career. So I always have good memories, especially in the court that I played today.

Yeah, I'm really happy to be through again.