UNITED CUP

January 8, 2023

Vincenzo Santopadre

Matteo Berrettini

Lorenzo Musetti

Martina Trevisan

Lucia Bronzetti

Andrea Vavassori

Marco Bortolotti

Camila Rosatello

Team Italy

Press Conference

Team USA - 4

Team Italy - 0

THE MODERATOR: Bad luck to Team Italy, but a great tournament. Vincenzo, can you sum up the week together with your team.

CAPTAIN SANTOPADRE: Yeah, we had unbelievable, like, 11 days. We are staying here since three months. I think we had a really nice experience. I want to thank the team and the people that were with us here.

Unfortunately, they were better than us today, but I know that everybody did an unbelievable job. So in the end, we are happy about this.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. Martina, this may be a big week for you, that great match against Sakkari. What do you think it's going to do for you this year, the confidence, being part of this team, reaching the final over here? How much is that going to work for you?

MARTINA TREVISAN: Yeah, it's been two incredible weeks for me. The important things is that I'm growing a lot in and off court. All the matches that I played during these two weeks happen to collect more experience and take with more confidence 2023.

So I'm very happy to be a part of this team, to be here, and that I have the chance to live these incredible moments.

(Applause.)

Q. Matteo, clearly you guys are still having a lot of fun, and the whole week, you guys, from Brisbane to here you have had a lot of fun. Can you speak how nice it is to start a season like this with your teammates, and just enjoying it so much.

MATTEO BERRETTINI: Yeah, it was really nice to be with them. I have to say this year was the earliest that I left since I started playing tennis. I left on the 24th. If it wasn't for them, you know, like it would have been way tougher.

I feel the season is getting like longer, longer, and we are starting sooner (smiling). We almost have no preseason, so it was really nice to kind of celebrate with them and be together for New Year's Eve.

Obviously today and the previous days we were focused on the court, what we were doing, but we had a lot of fun off court, and that's what I believe was the reason why we reached the finals.

Yeah, it was a pleasure, it was fun. I have to thank the captain. He did an amazing job. Not just because he's my coach. I think he did work hard to make everybody feel comfortable, which is not easy. Normally I don't give him like a lot of compliments. Vincenzo, take it. This is it for this year. For this year it's done (smiling).

Yeah, happy to be with this group, and hopefully many more to come.

Q. Matteo gave a great answer last night about the influence of Schiavone, Pennetta, Vinci, Errani. I'd like to ask Martina and Lucia the same question, especially with a view to the fact they played their best tennis late in their careers. Is that an inspiration to you?

MATTEO BERRETTINI: She didn't get what you said.

MARTINA TREVISAN: You speak very fast, and it's not easy to understand.

(Translation.)

MARTINA TREVISAN: Yes, they inspire me, yes. They made incredible career, Sara and Roberta and Flavia and Francesca. There are too many. I think we are trying to reach them. So we keep focus and we keep trying to do our best.

Q. Captain, does the team spirit this week remind you of what they did in the Fed Cup team?

CAPTAIN SANTOPADRE: Yeah, they are smiling all the time. I like this. I think that also men, we are doing some nice things. I think all the Italian players that are coming will have to thanks these guys, because if there is -- there are so many youngs coming, it's because of them. I think everybody is doing things with passion, and then you can see the results.

Q. How are you feeling ahead of this Australian Open? How important was this competition in terms of your preparation? And Lorenzo, how are you feeling physically also?

LORENZO MUSETTI: Yeah, I think it was a very nice event, well organized. I think as the other guys said, we enjoyed a lot, especially the moments off court. Even if today I don't play at all because, you know, was tough to play today, felt like something in the shoulder. So, I mean, I needed to watch out more for the next week in Melbourne.

But after all, it was a really nice tournament and a new experience for me. I think supporting the team inside the court from the bench was really exciting and really successful at the time, but especially watching Martina's matches before and getting a warmup...(indiscernible).

No, I'm kidding. I had a lot of fun, so hopefully we can come back next year.