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US OPEN

September 4, 2019

Matteo Berrettini

New York, NY, USA

M. BERRETTINI/G. Monfils

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

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Watching you at the end, lying down on the court, it almost felt like exuberance you would expect after winning a championship. Talk about that. The ups, the downs. Five match points. Finally able to get it done. Talk about your feelings to get to a first semifinal of a Grand Slam tournament.
MATTEO BERRETTINI: For sure, that's why I fell down in the court. I mean, it's my first semis. I never won a match here in US Open, so it's my second year in the main draw. I didn't expect that. I'm pretty, I don't know, excited for that.

Also, for the match, I had so many chances. I served for the match. I had two match points and then he did an ace. Was unbelievable fight.

Yeah, I was tired and I felt to just leave myself on the court. If you're asking me if I'm not ready for the next match, I would say no. I mean, I will be ready, but you have to enjoy what you're doing. That's why.

Q. Talk about the next couple of hours, how much...
MATTEO BERRETTINI: It's tough to focus right now. Just too many things coming in my mind. I'm really happy to see my family here, my dad, my coach that is kind of my family, my manager here. I received, like, thousands of messages.

I was dreaming about this when I was a child. So now I'm doing that. Like I said the past days, I have to enjoy what I'm doing, but I have to look forward what to do, what I want to do.

Q. What have you learned about yourself through this experience that has surprised many other people?
MATTEO BERRETTINI: You know, after the match, at EuroSport Live, they asked me, Do you think you can practice these kind of feelings? I said no.

I was saying to myself during the match, What do you expect for -- I mean, you're 23. Just playing your first quarterfinals and you expect that you not get tight? So I was saying to myself, Okay, that's normal. Keep going. You know you're going to have more chances like I had.

In that moment if you start to think about, I don't know, other stuff that are not important, you start to complaining, you start to, I don't know, like, thinking negative, then for sure you're going to lose the match.

That's the thing that I'm most proud of, you know. That's what I learned.

Q. Everybody needs inspiration to play great tennis like you did today. I'm curious to know where you get the inspiration because you played the type of tennis all season to make these strides like at Wimbledon and here and also the other tournaments like Stuttgart.
MATTEO BERRETTINI: Yeah, that's a good question, because I'm working with my mental coach about this. If you look from outside, it's just a tennis match. For us, it's not like that simple every day going to the courts and practicing. You know, could be like a routine.

I don't want to play tennis like -- I mean, it's a job, but I didn't choose this sport because I -- I don't know. I said, This is going to be my job. This is going to be my passion. I choose that because I love that, I am loving that. I am loving this sport.

I'm trying to enjoy every practice even if it's bad. I'm trying to learn what I'm doing on the court and off the court. The last period I was focusing about, you know, children. You know, it's so nice when they are coming to you -- after the warmup today, there was, like, a guy from U.S. He was, like, I think he's, like, 10. He asked me, How you get here, playing quarterfinals? I was, like, I can talk for, I don't know, 20 minutes (smiling). But for sure you have to enjoy what you're doing.

So for me it's finding those kids, those kind of children. Maybe it's one of the most important things for me.

Q. You just said you were talking with kids and you said also you were dreaming about this moment when you were kid. Could you talk a little bit about your childhood, how you started tennis and who is your idol? What is your dream tournament you won?
MATTEO BERRETTINI: My parents are members in a tennis club. So, you know, I was born, they brought me here since day one. It wasn't tough to get a racquet in my hand.

But when I was seven, eight, I wasn't playing and my brother, he's 21 in November, he told me, like, Come to play, you know. You're going to enjoy. I was, like, Hmm, I'm not sure. Then I went and I never stopped. I started like this.

And about tournament dreaming, I mean, I always said -- I have to be honest -- I always said Wimbledon. There you feel something different, it's grass. I mean, this stadium is unbelievable. The feelings I had -- I was checking my heart beating during the match. I was, like, Oh, what's happening? Then I said, Okay, it's normal. This is a football stadium. It's not like a tennis stadium (smiling).

Yeah, why not? I'm in semis. Why not? I'm going, trying to keep going, and I'm dreaming, as well. Why not?

Q. You kind of smiled after the double fault on match point, and then even after that you hit a few backhands into the net. But the mini break that you had got at 5-4 when you just sort of dominated most of that point with your forehand, just ripping it shot after shot, is that the shot you sort of rely on and lean on when you need it the most?
MATTEO BERRETTINI: My forehand?

Q. Yeah.
MATTEO BERRETTINI: I laugh because I was serving the second serve and my grip change a little bit. I don't know what happened. For sure, the tension. For sure, I was tight. I laughed because I was saying, Okay, that's normal. For sure I was dying inside (smiling).

But I also miss an easy volley at 30-15. But then I said again, you know, Keep going. Yeah, for sure, my forehand is my best weapon, for sure. My forehand, yeah. Then my serve.

I think I did also a great job with my backhand today. With the slice I was mixing well. I'm really proud of my tennis today.

Q. That Italian restaurant in New York, why do you like it so much and what's your favorite dish? I know you have become very friendly with the chef, with the owner.
MATTEO BERRETTINI: The owner, yeah, Giovanni. Actually, he's from Rome, my city. So, you know, is not tough to get friend with a guy from the same city.

I knew him last year. He's such a nice guy. He's always cheering for Italians. I mean, I'm the only one left, so now he's cheering for me (smiling).

Yeah, we have also the same, like, we like rings, like rings for the hands. We are going to the same shop in Rome. So we figured out that here. It was, like, Oh, where did you get it? It was, like, Oh, like Andrea (phonetic). Oh, yeah the same shop. We have some things in common.

Yeah, pasta for sure. But I like pasta in bianco. I don't know if you know it. It's like just oil and parmesan. Simple but really good.

Q. How difficult was it for you playing in front of a crowd that clearly was rooting for your opponent?
MATTEO BERRETTINI: I actually like it. I mean, I think it wasn't, like, that bad. They weren't, like, doing like bad things. Just cheering for him more. It's okay.

GaÃ«l is more famous than me. He's unbelievable player. He's also such a nice guy.

It was okay. The thing is when I start to feel, you know, hear something, I say to myself, That's what I like. Because I like to fight. It's better to be in a stadium like this than, I don't know, some courts in far away with nobody watching.

I was enjoying, and I'm really happy that people enjoyed the match, because for sure, they were cheering maybe for him but also for me. It was good.

Q. Next you have Schwartzman or Nadal. Schwartzman you have played before. Nadal you haven't. I'm sure you know him well. What kind of match you expect against each one?
MATTEO BERRETTINI: Oh, yeah, I know Diego better. We played this year twice: one on grass and one clay.

I don't know. It's going to be semis in a Grand Slam, so you cannot expect, like, normal match. But I know him. For that, I'm maybe more ready.

I know Rafa, also, really well. I mean, I saw, like, a hundred of his matches. Who in this tour doesn't know Rafa? It's going to be tough, for sure, against him. It's tough to say something also.

I don't know. I would like to say good luck to them, and then I figure out how to beat one of them.

Q. You mentioned the size of the stadium, Ashe Stadium. There is, like, 8% of New Yorkers have Italian family background, so there is a good chance there will be a huge Italian crowd and support for you for the semis. If you compare that to playing in Italy for Italico, do you think you will be more nervous when you have, like, a bigger Italian support, or do you think that will give you an extra kick and enhance your chances against Nadal or Schwartzman?
MATTEO BERRETTINI: Yeah, is always tough to play, I mean, for Italians, playing for Italico in Rome. It's always tough but also really nice. I remember the first match that I play against Fabio Fognini, and I'm from Rome. I started the match with a double fault like close to the one I did on the match point. So slow in the net. I was, like, Okay (smiling).

But, yeah, for sure, when they're cheering for you, it's helping you. So why not? I'm really looking forward to find a lot of Italians. I have to say my box is really helpful, as well, even they are, like, 20. But they, I don't know, they are, like, loud, for sure.

Q. In terms of going deep in Grand Slams, there have not been many Italian men to go this far, but there have been Italian women to go far. Have you drawn any inspiration from the Italian women who have done well over the years here when you were growing up starting your tennis career?
MATTEO BERRETTINI: I remember watching the finals here. I was in Italia playing a future 2015. So four years ago. It was unbelievable, you know, like, for them, for Italy. I remember President Giovanni Malago coming to watch the match.

So for sure it was an inspiration. Francesca, as well. Sara. They won -- I don't know. I forgot how many Fed Cup they won. For sure they show us how to do it, you know.

I'm really looking forward to beat their records. Why not? I mean, I'm here. Actually Flavia texted me today. So she was really happy for me. She told me to keep going. Yeah, it's good to have such good, you know, players behind you.

Q. What are your earliest memories of Rafael Nadal and your thoughts on his place in history?
MATTEO BERRETTINI: I remember the finals in Rome against Coria, and I don't know how to say, they were, like, giving the match on the TV but not the -- for free, you know. It was, like, a channel that was about cartoons.

I was young. These guys, I mean, six hours. Come on. I want to catch my cartoons (smiling).

I remember that, yeah. It was unbelievable. Was unbelievable. Actually, I think also a lot of -- I was going to school, and a lot of my classmates, they actually, I think, from there they started to follow tennis more, to watch tennis more, because the match was free and they watched the match. They were, Oh, you're playing this sport then? I was, like, Yeah. I'm dreaming about playing these kind of matches. And now I'm here. So I'm happy.

Q. Your thoughts on Rafa's place in history?
MATTEO BERRETTINI: I mean, I think he's the greatest fighter ever in this sport. It's unbelievable he's doing. I admire him, like, the way he's on the court, you know. Like his attitude is something that it's -- I think it's close to the perfection. He's always, like, 5-0, 40-Love down, he's always there. It's something that's not that easy to do. So bravo.

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