MUTUA MADRID OPEN

May 9, 2021

Matteo Berrettini

Press Conference

A. ZVEREV/M. Berrettini

6-7, 6-4, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You certainly left it all out on the court. Any regrets how it turned out?

MATTEO BERRETTINI: No, I mean, I spoke to my team little bit after the match. Obviously we are all upset. Obviously I'm the most upset one.

No, I mean, I had a breakpoint in the third. I think he played really good. I returned a serve that was going 220 something. This is just tennis, you know.

I really actually felt that in the first set, even though I was up a break, I wasn't playing my best tennis. I was playing really good the beginning of the second and I couldn't get the break. Nothing. In the third, it was a fight.

No regrets at all. I left it all. I played good. I didn't play unbelievable. I think also that it's what he did to make me play like not my best tennis.

Q. Obviously you're very disappointed, which is understandable. How important do you think reaching the final in Madrid, your first Masters final, is going to be for you the rest of this year and into the future again?

MATTEO BERRETTINI: I mean, like I said yesterday after I won, it's unbelievable feeling. I'm really proud of myself, the work I've done just not in the last months but in my career so far. I wasn't one of the guys at 18, 19 or 20 was thinking about reaching this kind of achievements and stuff. I really work hard to be here.

Now that I'm here, I'm upset I lost. It's important for my tennis, for my level. We spoke, like I said, with my team. We figured it out, I mean, Sascha won not easy but like in two sets against Thiem and Rafa, and today was struggling against me. This is definitely a good feeling and something that I have to use to build in my future tournaments, next tournaments.

It hurts now, but I know this loss is going to be useful.

Q. Sort of what you were saying about how it hurts, but you know it's going to be good. Obviously the last few weeks, because of how well you have played, you're now in the top eight in the Race to Turin, playing great tennis. How much confidence does that give you in the immediate future?

MATTEO BERRETTINI: It gives me a lot of confidence. The one that I felt even more, the one that I felt in Australia.

Like I said in the previous days, I know and I feel that I can play this kind of tennis, this kind of level, I deserve to be here. When I play and I use my weapons in the right way, all the players are struggling. This is something that makes me confident for the future.

Obviously everybody looks at the race, but it's too soon now. Like I said, coming in this tournament, the most important thing is to be healthy. Once I'm healthy, I can reach my level, my best level. I think this week just showed that I can play this level.

Obviously now it hurts, but for the next tournaments, I mean, I'm playing Rome in two days, it's going to be a new goal now soon.

Q. Personally do you feel like you've been waiting for this type of run, prestigious final, maybe even since the US Open? Is it something to remind you what you're capable of?

MATTEO BERRETTINI: I wasn't waiting. I was looking for it. I was trying to get it.

Like I said, also last year, my goals are this: to play big and good in the big tournaments, slams and 1000s. Obviously was a great win and great run also in Belgrade. We all know when you're top 10, when you reach like a certain level, you want to win the big tournaments.

This was my first final. Hopefully it's not going to be my last. But like I said before, I'm really happy on my level. Today unfortunately I think I didn't play my best tennis. I have to say that he made me play not my best tennis. That's why tennis is a tricky sport.