ROLAND GARROS

June 2, 2026

Matteo Arnaldi

From ATP Audio

M. ARNALDI/F. Tiafoe

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

Q. Congratulations. You were two points away from defeat. Where does this rank in the craziest matches you've ever played?

MATTEO ARNALDI: First one, definitely (smiling). Yeah, it's unreal. It's unreal. I don't know how I won this match, to be honest. I'm surprised.

I was pretty tired from the start. I mean, I haven't played in, like, this long in a long time. I was injured. I started to practice for real, like I won after Madrid, so for me, I don't know, I can't even think how I played, like, four matches, four hours, three-hours-and-a-half, five, and five-and-a-half.

To be honest, I'm very surprised. I don't know how I'm feeling this right now, because it's so many emotions. I know I'm tired. I know my legs are destroyed.

But I'm just hoping that the foot, it's okay, because I don't know if it was ready for this. But I'm just happy.

Q. You're into your first Grand Slam quarterfinal. Does it feel like a big breakthrough for you?

MATTEO ARNALDI: It is. It is. But I feel like it's just, I don't know, it's all unexplained. Before Cagliari, after Madrid, I was going to drop 150 in the world, and I wasn't playing. I played, like, five matches, six matches till then. I was still injured. I was struggling because I wasn't able to practice. Wasn't able to do what I liked.

So I don't know. I was in a tunnel and I didn't see the light. Let's put it this way. But then I start to feel a little bit better. I went to Cagliari. I discovered that after three matches I was better with the foot, as well, it wasn't that bad.

From that, it was a start for me, even mentally, because I was, all right, I can play. It's not like unreal for me to play a match.

So after that, I started to feel better. Then I found again the confidence. I won a lot of matches. In Rome, I won some good matches. To be honest, I can't even explain how I feel right now, because it's, I don't know, I played too much (smiling).

I don't know how I won today, to be honest. That's the only thing I can say.

Q. Amazing physical but also mental performance this tournament. There are moments in player's career they start seeing themselves differently. Is this one of those moments?

MATTEO ARNALDI: I mean, I feel like I always see myself as a fighter, as someone that would give everything on court, but I never actually played these kind of matches, that match that long, and in a row.

So it's like I feel like I'm finding myself again. Let's put it this way. I'm really happy that it's happening here and in a match like this, as well.

Q. An all-Italian quarterfinal with Matteo Berrettini. How special is that?

MATTEO ARNALDI: It's so special, I mean, for everyone. For Flavio, for Matteo, for me. I feel like we all have different stories, but we're all so happy to be here, so happy to play quarters in a slam, and definitely it's going to be a tough one for us, because it's a derby.

But, you know, right now I can't even think about playing another match. (Laughter.) So I just want to rest and try to recover, like I said, and see how I'm gonna feel in the next day and see, like, during the match.

But, you know, he's tired, as well. He played a lot, as well. I'm sure it's going to be a good battle, yeah.