THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 9, 2021

Matteo Berrettini

Press Conference

M. BERRETTINI/H. Hurkacz

6-3, 6-0, 6-7, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Talk us through your emotions today. How many nerves were there bouncing around there? How much confidence did you have coming in?

MATTEO BERRETTINI: I mean, things are all over the place. At the same time I think I handled the situation pretty well. I step in the court, I was feeling confident. I knew that I could win the match. I think I played my best match so far. So I'm really happy for my performance.

Especially after the third set, everything was kind of -- I felt I could win that set, also win the match, but didn't happen. I said to myself, You're playing better than him, so keep going like this and you're going to win.

Q. On Sunday night nearly everyone in the country is going to be cheering against Italy. Earlier in the day, how much would it help you to have everyone on Centre Court with you, especially if you are playing such a great champion as Djokovic?

MATTEO BERRETTINI: I mean, hopefully whoever's going to win, they're going to support me - I hope (smiling). It's going to be a great atmosphere. My first final in Wimbledon, it's just crazy to think about it.

Obviously for Italian people in general, it's going to be tough Sunday, no? But I think we deserve it. It's great day, great sport day. I'm really happy that together with football now we are one of the biggest sport in Italy.

Q. What does it feel like to be the first Italian to reach a men's singles final at Wimbledon? It must be an incredible sense of satisfaction and joy.

MATTEO BERRETTINI: Yeah, feels great. I mean, it would have felt great even if I wasn't the first Italian (smiling).

First slam finals. I don't know. I'm just so, so happy for everything. My year started in a good way, with the finals in ATP Cup. Then I got injured again. I kind of saw those ghosts again of my body kind of struggling.

Again, I came back stronger. I think I fully deserve to be here. I want to enjoy like I did today. I want to enjoy my first final. Whoever's going to win today, I just appreciate what's happening. So I'm very happy.

Q. Would you have imagined this when you turned up at Queen's, that you haven't lost a match on grass since?

MATTEO BERRETTINI: I didn't imagine. When they were telling me, when I cross sides with Becker, he told me to like have a long run in Wimbledon, you have to be like that, like this, try to do this.

I'm like, Okay, maybe this guy he step in Wimbledon and he thought about making the finals.

I didn't think like that. I knew I could do it, but I didn't think I am going to do it because this is how I am.

I took every step really careful and slowly. I guess it was the right thing to do. Obviously the job is not done yet. I want to get the trophy now that I'm here. But just it's really unbelievable feeling.

Q. I know Adriano Panatta is also from Rome. He was the last Italian man to make a Grand Slam final. Have you heard from him yet? I know you've been in touch with him in the past.

MATTEO BERRETTINI: Yes, he text me after my match with Felix. We are in contact. Sometimes he's texting me. He was one of the first big names for us, probably the biggest one, that believed in me when I was a kid. I remember we played together a doubles in the club where I used to practice. It was such a nice experience.

He told me, Look, I think you're going to serve 220 kilometers per hour.

I look at him, I don't know if I trust you. Then I saw the history of his results. Obviously I said, Okay, maybe this guy is right. Then he was right.

I mean, yeah, I'm in contact with him all the time. Just a great adviser also. To take the step what he texted me, he told me, Now that you're here, go for it. That's what I'm trying to do.

Q. Your parents, your family, your brother was in the stands today to support you. It was apparently difficult for your father to watch. What did it mean for you to have them here?

MATTEO BERRETTINI: It means everything. Not just my parents, my brother, one of my best friends. I started playing tennis with them. Thanks to them, with them, with my brother, we still practicing together. He's still playing.

When we were kids, we were going holiday, we were always bringing our racquets. We played so many times, even without the ball, just pretending we were playing in our living room a great final. We were pretending to be players that now I'm playing against.

Just everything crazy. I couldn't unfortunately, for bubble reason, meet them. I saw them from far away. My brother, I never saw him like that. He couldn't believe it. That's where we're coming from. That's my family. That's our passion, I guess. Tennis is in my family. Also my grandparents are still playing. It's something we have in DNA, and it makes me feel so good to have them here.

Q. How would you describe what you think it will be like in Italy on Sunday, given that you're playing here and there's the football game after?

MATTEO BERRETTINI: I don't know. I will tell them to buy a nice TV if they don't have already because I think it's going to be a special Sunday for all of us (smiling).

It's something crazy to believe for us, obviously let's say tennis, because it never happen. So it's something that nobody expected - me in first place. Then for football, because we came from -- I mean, we didn't qualify for the World Cup, so after that the job that they did, how hard they worked, the effort that they put, I think they really deserve this finals.

Obviously I'm going to think first about mine. I think the schedule is going to come first. Then probably, if I have the chance, I'm going to watch them.