US OPEN

August 31, 2022

Matteo Berrettini

Press Conference

M. BERRETTINI/H. Grenier

2-6, 6-1, 7-6, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Could you take us through the match, four sets, two tiebreak wins. Talk us through that.

MATTEO BERRETTINI: Yeah, it was a really tough match. I didn't start the best way. Then I told myself that I had time, that it's a best-of-five match. I had time to figure it out, to get better, to have more energy, to play better.

I'm really happy that I was able to do it early in the second set. Then in the third and the fourth, I was feeling better. I had more chances, but I couldn't convert them. We went to the breakers.

I think I played better than him in the important moments. That was the key. It was really tough to play today, really windy, not really humid like the other day. The balls were flying a little bit more.

I mean, that's tennis. You have to figure it out, adjust during the match. I'm glad that I did that.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Your next opponent, Andy Murray, you lead 2-1, in your series. What are your expectations towards the next match?

MATTEO BERRETTINI: We played in different conditions. We played 2019 in Beijing, so was hard, but best-of-three. Then twice on grass.

All the matches were great fights. I think obviously Andy now is in way better shape than he used to be, especially last year. I mean, I'm not here saying everything he achieved in his career. He's a legend of the sport.

I think it's going to be a great match, a tough match for me. But feeling confident. I always like to play here, especially in big stages, big matches like the one I'm about to play.

Yeah, I think it's going to be a tough one, but I'm ready.

Q. It's been a stop-start year for you because of injuries. Obviously it's frustrating. Is there a degree where it's also helpful because you're probably fresher at this time of year than many others?

MATTEO BERRETTINI: You should ask my team this question. They're going to tell you (laughter).

In a way, I feel like I didn't play a lot, so I have a lot of will and a lot of, like, yeah, I want to play as many matches as possible.

In the same time, in order to come back from injuries, I use energy, no? I always feel like I have a tank. Even if you're not playing, you're using your gas because you have to come back and get stronger. Especially when you have a surgery, my right hand, wasn't easy. First time I hold the racquet after surgery, I couldn't even grip it. I was like, Oh, this is going to be tough.

Yeah, it's true I didn't play a lot. But at the same time I used a lot of energy. That's why sometimes you still, like, feel flat a little bit.

I feel a lot of energy now. Happy to be healthy again. To be here at US Open... Really looking forward for next match.

Q. When you beat Andy in Stuttgart, you said in your victory speech that Andy represented a player that overcame adversity and injury. Are you two close? Do you know Andy well?

MATTEO BERRETTINI: We're friends, but we're not like best friends. A good relationship.

Yeah, I mean, he had a crazy hip surgery. Everybody saw it. It's not easy to come back, especially when he was like No. 1 in the world. Mentally it must have been, like, really tough for him.

But I think it's inspiring the will that he has, the love that he has for this sport. I always admired that.

We often practice together, as well. Yeah, when I was a kid I was watching him in TV. For me still kind of like a dream coming true playing against these kind of players.

I remember 2016 he played against Paolo Lorenzi here. My brother, he played quallies here, the juniors. He warmed up Paolo. I was like, Wow, you're playing next to Andy, and now I'm playing against him.

It's something that I really appreciate. That's why I'm even happier for the match now I'm going to play.

Q. You said you practiced with Andy. What does that do for you? Is there something about his ball, the way he hits it, the things he brings to the court that help a player like you?

MATTEO BERRETTINI: In general, like, you practice and you try to focus on yourself, your stuff, your weapons, what you want to do.

But in general I always look for players that they have a strong energy that they really want to practice hard, because that's what I like to do. He's one of those. He's a hard worker.

Yeah, we practiced actually before the tournament here, on Armstrong. It was a great set. So, yeah, I don't specifically, like, look for him because he has a certain kind of ball, but I like his mentality, I like the way he practice. That's why I like to practice with him.

Q. The interruptions you had this year came at very bad times. There's no good time for that, but... Mentally, how did you deal with that and what were the toughest parts?

MATTEO BERRETTINI: Yeah, you're right, it's never easy. When I got the surgery, there was a moment where I was also feeling tired a little bit in general. Then the thing with my hand. I had to stop.

I was like, Okay, it's going to be tough, especially when I pulled out from tournaments like Monte-Carlo, Rome, Madrid, Paris. It was tough. But then it was like, Okay, I'm going to use this time to do something that I would never be able to do if I was healthy. I spend more time with my friends, with my family. I went to some events I never been.

It was really nice. I got in contact with new people, new personalities, and kind of in a way helped me to realize how much I love tennis, how much I was missing tennis, but at the same time there is a life when you're not playing tennis.

It helped me that way. I think that's one of the reasons why I came back and I won so many matches in a row.

Q. At Wimbledon you were playing well on grass. To have to leave that tournament due to COVID, seems unfair almost. How devastated were you? What was it like emotionally? Also now, are you extra careful about COVID?

MATTEO BERRETTINI: Yeah, I hope like my antibodies are going to work a little bit. But, yeah, you have to be careful.

Yeah, at the beginning, when you're doing something, something is happening, you don't really realize what is happening. I was like, I'm feeling sick, what is happening here? My fever was up. I was feeling not good. I was, like, It's gone. Maybe it was the fever, maybe it was my mind when there is the only possible decision I could take.

Obviously, the tournament was going on. I was watching the matches. I was remembering kind of like in my head all the good moments on grass, the level that I was playing before Wimbledon.

It was tough. It was tough. Then I thought, Next Wimbledon is going to be in a year. It's a long time.

But it is what it is. You have to get stronger, get back on track. It wasn't easy. Took me three weeks to feel better. Was struggling with my muscles, physically to get back in shape.

But here I am now healthy again, excited to be here.

Q. You said you went to some events which you otherwise wouldn't have gone to. Can you tell us what kind of events, one or two that were special for you?

MATTEO BERRETTINI: For example, I went to Cannes, the film festival. It was really cool. It's also close to where I live in Monaco. It wasn't a big trip.

Yeah, I saw some actors. I got in contact with them. It was different. Red carpet, you know, I'm not really used to that (smiling). It was really cool.

My brother there, as well. It's something that obviously you don't want to do because you want to play tennis. It was a nice time. It was a nice occasion to see what the world can give you when you're doing other stuff. Yeah, that one I think was the best.

Q. With tennis, it's so easy for us to stay in this bubble, see the same people, do the same things. The time you spent doing other things, does it put tennis in a different perspective? How can it help you see your life on tour in a different way?

MATTEO BERRETTINI: I think obviously we're all, like, evolving in a way. I'm not the same guy that came here for the first time. I'm 26 now. I'm still young, I know, but I consider myself older than I used to be. I'm learning what I like to do.

Before I was more a kid, it was tennis, tennis, tennis. I think it helps you to have kind of, like, an idea of what is outside. I think it's really healthy for your mind, as well. Sometimes you can burn out. You can be too focused, or you want something too much, then you don't get it, what is left? Nothing.

It's important to, like I said, enjoy your family, enjoy your friends, do something different. I think for me at least it's something I should take care about because, like all the sports, it can be tough mentally.

Obviously we are really lucky to be here, we're playing for a lot of money, in front of like thousands and thousands of people. Sometimes you have to take care about yourself, and that's what I do.

Q. Again on practicing with Andy, can you share who won the set that you played? How did you see his level compared to when you played him in Stuttgart? He's been talking about how physically better he feels now compared to other points of the season and last year.

MATTEO BERRETTINI: Yeah, I think it was a really high-quality set. I was down a break, then I broke back. I think on 5-All we played a breaker because of the time. Someone was coming. I think I won the breaker.

It's not really important when you play in practice. But I can say that the level is really high. He was playing well. Physically he's well. Obviously it's a different surface. We played on grass. Here is completely different.

But it doesn't matter. When you play Andy Murray, you're playing Andy Murray. You have to play your best tennis.