THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 2, 2026

Matteo Berrettini

Press Conference

M. BERRETTINI/A. Fils

6-4, 7-5, 3-6, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Matteo, great win today. How you feeling?

MATTEO BERRETTINI: Thank you. I'm feeling good, feeling happy. As you could see, I had a big smile on my face after the match. Now, as well.

I knew I had to play a really high level of tennis in order to beat Arthur. I think I did it. I'm really proud of myself. Yeah, I'm really happy and proud, I mean, grateful to be here to have the chance to play one more match. That's why I'm training for.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How pleased are you that you've been able to continue the momentum from Paris, despite how it ended?

MATTEO BERRETTINI: Yeah, it means that the work that I put before Paris, and obviously after Paris, the little injury that I had, it's paying off.

Actually I've been, I would say in the beginning of the season that I was working really well. I had to connect like few dots in order to get results. I'm glad that I did that.

Sometimes the sport needs a little bit of patience. I think I was patient enough, I took the right decisions at the right time.

Yeah, I'm really pleased that the level is high, the intensity is high. The will of playing and enjoying my time on court is high. That's what I was looking for. That's why I'm happy.

Q. Are you a patient person in general?

MATTEO BERRETTINI: I'm working on it (smiling). I think I got better. I got better with time. Who's patient really? It's something that you got to learn - sometimes the hard way.

In tennis, I think it teaches you to be patient because you can play better than the opponent, but the break is not coming, the results are not coming, but you got to trust the process. Tennis, it's about that.

Q. I wanted to ask you about your walk-on outfit. Taylor Fritz has been coming in in a Hugo Boss walk-on suit. Was that an option for you?

MATTEO BERRETTINI: There was an option actually, but I got refused by Wimbledon. It was not white enough. It was a little bit off-white. Then on the color, it was a little bit brownish. I don't know. I seen it once. Yeah, so there was an option, but they didn't let me do it. It's okay.

Q. Will we get to see it at some point?

MATTEO BERRETTINI: No, you could see it actually on my social media. I posted about it. I did a shooting with that. Yeah, unfortunately I couldn't go on court with that.

Q. Does it feel at all like a second career for you after all you've been through? You got back to the first part of your career, or your approach has changed, a completely different path you're on right now?

MATTEO BERRETTINI: I wouldn't say it's a different career. I would say that you're learning throughout the career. For sure the approach is a little bit different. Like I was saying before the tournament, at the beginning when I was younger, I want to make it, I want to make it, I want to be better, better, better. Now in my way I made it. Obviously could always be better or could be worse, as well.

I was like I want to enjoy the process, I want to enjoy my practice, I want to enjoy the tension, these moments, these wins. That's why I would say it's a little bit different.

The love for the sport is the same. The love for the competition, the love of pushing my limits, it's always the same. I'm 30 now. I'm not 20 anymore. Life changed a little bit. Sometimes I like to think I'm the same kid that started playing tennis long time ago.

Q. Wins like the last two, do they change your perspective of what is achievable in your game, not just here but also for the rest of the season?

MATTEO BERRETTINI: Yes or no. In a way I knew I could have won these two matches. I know that I potentially won the next one. I also know that I could lose. I could have lost the last two matches. It's a fine line.

I think it's really important in us tennis players that you always have the confidence when you step on court. When you don't have that, it means you really have to stop for a little bit and try to figure out why you don't feel confident like that. You can always lose. There's only going to be one winner these next two weeks, so someone is going to lose, for sure.

I know my level. I know I can win against anybody. I know I can make trouble for anybody, especially on this surface. I also know that I can lose matches.

This fine line between fear and confidence, it's really important in tennis.

Q. What is key for you to enjoy your tennis when there's obviously a lot of tension, ambition...

MATTEO BERRETTINI: I figured out that I really love to think about the match and think about how I'm dealing with the problems that the match is giving me.

For a long time I was just thinking about I want to be healthy, I want to feel free to serve, I don't want to think about my body. Happiness goes through that, the fact that I don't have to think about my body.

Even if something is coming, I know it's part of the journey. Before I was looking at it something that shouldn't happen or couldn't happen. I learned how to accept the fact that sometimes I have to stop, sometimes I have to say no, I can't do it. This is my body, this is my career. I also know that I can get up.

Instead of doing too many ups and downs, I'm a little bit more stable and balanced. I think this is really important.