US OPEN

September 2, 2021

Matteo Berrettini

Press Conference

M. BERRETTINI/C. Moutet

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

THE MODERATOR: Could you give us your thoughts on the match and how you're playing at this point in the tournament.

MATTEO BERRETTINI: Yeah, I mean, today was really tough to play. Was windy. Conditions were different compared to the other day. Really dry, sunny. I mean, it's something that you have to get used to it. That's the first thing I think a tennis player has to have, adjust to the conditions.

Also my opponent was really tricky to play, especially today. He was playing good, really solid, moving a lot. It wasn't easy. So I'm happy for my performance because I think I managed to be also really strong mentally. Yeah, I'll try to play better and better during the tournament.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Your career started at a club in Rome. What things clicked there, how did that start?

MATTEO BERRETTINI: I mean, I would have a lot of moments.

But sometimes I remember when I was a kid and I was doing baskets of serve, serving a lot, my coach Vincenzo, he still thinks serve is a big weapon, my biggest weapon, I remember I was serving from the deuce side. I was, like, imagining to serve 4-All, 30-All. That's how I was imagining.

Sometimes when you're serving and you have a basket, and you don't have a guy on the other site of the net, it's tough. You just serve. I wanted to be focused when I was younger because I knew that moment would come eventually.

I think I like to believe why my serve is so important for me. It's helping me a lot in important moments because I really put a lot of effort, lot of attention in those moments. So far it helped me a lot, yeah.