UNITED CUP

January 3, 2023

Vincenzo Santopadre

Matteo Berrettini

Martina Trevsian

Lucia Bronzetti

Team Italy

Press Conference

Italy - 5

Norway - 0

THE MODERATOR: Captain, three wins out of three today. How pleased were you with your players' performances today?

CAPTAIN SANTOPADRE: I'm sorry, but I have to say the same things that I told you yesterday because they did again an unbelievable great job. It's same thing that I said yesterday plus one because it's one more day (smiling).

No, I think Matteo played a really great match. He can talk about this, but I think he was almost perfect. Lucia had some troubles more because she had to fight a lot, maybe sometimes with herself.

In doubles, too, I think they really played well, and they also enjoyed the atmosphere.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Matteo, you lost the last two to Casper. By beating him, it secured the victory for Italy. How did you feel after getting that done today because of all the things you achieved with the result?

MATTEO BERRETTINI: No, obviously super happy for the win, for the performance. I think I played a great match, like Vincenzo said. Obviously I know Casper really well. We know each other really well. We played many times against each other.

Yeah, it was really nice also because, like I said, after the match against Monteiro, I didn't expect to be that ready after so many months without playing. You never know when coming back how you will feel. I'm really pleased for that.

Really looking forward to play tomorrow because we're feeling great. We won all the matches. Happy for Italy.

Q. What was it that allowed you to attain the level you did?

MATTEO BERRETTINI: I think obviously I served really well. With him it's important. He's really solid. He's always taking the right decision. It's important to be aggressive, to not make him play too much. I think we prepared the match really well.

Then you had to get the break, as well. I think I was clutch enough in the important moments. I didn't have, like, too many chances, but I had the right ones, and I was ready to take them.

Playing aggressive against him, I think it's always important. If you give him, like, a little bit more time, then he's moving the ball really well. Like I said, he's really solid. That's what I did.

Yeah, happy for that.

Q. Martina, it came up in the press conference yesterday about Team Italy, the good vibe you have in the team. After today's 5-0 victory, you're into the City Final. That is not surprising because you made the final?

MARTINA TREVISAN: It's tough question. I mean, is not surprise because we were ready to win and try to reach the group final. But every match is very difficult, so you never know.

For example, mine yesterday, it wasn't easy to win.

MATTEO BERRETTINI: It was easy. It was three hours (laughter).

MARTINA TREVISAN: You never know, we were try to reach the group final. I think everybody wanted to be where we are right now. All the matches are difficult and tight. You never know.

Q. Vincenzo, we're waiting to see the winner of Poland and Switzerland. Will you and the team watch tonight to see what happens?

CAPTAIN SANTOPADRE: I'm sorry, but we have two guys in the team that are having birthday today, so we can't be here. Sorry (laughter).

MATTEO BERRETTINI: Going to celebrate tonight.

CAPTAIN SANTOPADRE: Martina's coach and Lucia's coach. We have a dinner.

Q. Lucia, I want to talk to your prospective matchups against Magda or Jill?

LUCIA BRONZETTI: I never play with them. I just practice once with Linette. Yeah, it will be of course a tough match in both cases. But I'm ready to give my best and to try to beat the opponent.

Q. Martina, the same thoughts on either Iga or Belinda?

MARTINA TREVISAN: They are both of them very strong. They were incredible player. They play a high tennis. Will be very difficult for both.

But I'm try to keep the energy high like yesterday and of course try to do my best, the best for the team.

Q. Matteo, either Hubert or Stan. What are your thoughts?

MATTEO BERRETTINI: Yeah, I never played Stan. It's going to be interesting if it's going to be him. Obviously a great player, great champion. He won so many titles. I didn't see, but I think he played a great match against Bublik the other night, so he's going to be ready.

I know Hubie pretty well. We played against each other a few times.

Both of them are great players, especially in these conditions. It's going to be a tricky match. But I'm feeling good, I'm playing good, so I'm confident.

Q. Matteo, given we have junior players in the room, what advice would you give yourself? What is the biggest lesson you've learned in the past six, seven, eight years that you wish you could tell yourself?

MATTEO BERRETTINI: I was a junior eight years ago. Time is flying (smiling). Actually, nine.

That's tough question. Just one answer, it's not easy. But I think I was really lucky because I met this guy when I was 14. I'm always joking around, but, I mean, I have to thank him. I never thank him enough for what we did together.

But I think the most important thing was that I was enjoying and am enjoying what I'm doing. Obviously it gets tougher and tougher. At the beginning everything is new, so you play the first slam, you play the first big tournament, then the pressure is coming.

You learn as a person, you learn as a player, and you try to kind of, like, learn from what is happening. I'm going to stop talking now.

But I think the most important thing for me at least was I always say that every day I put a brick in my wall so I feel like even when I'm losing, doesn't matter, I feel I have to learn something from what happened.

I think that's the advice I'm going to tell them. So even the worst days, feel that something good happened and take that good and try to improve.

Wow, thank you (laughter).

Q. Matteo, regarding the pressure, is there something you do to take down the pressure? Is there a routine or something you do before the match to take the pressure down?

MATTEO BERRETTINI: Yeah, that's a great question actually.

The pressure never goes away. Doesn't matter if you're Grand Slam champion, which I'm not, or like a top-10 player. It's always there. Yesterday night I was talking to my coach. I felt, like, a lot of pressure, not just for this match but for the season. The season is starting. Last year was a tough year. It's always there.

Like I said, it's learning from who you are. From the stuff you're doing, you try to learn, yeah, yourself in a way. I've been working with a mental coach since I was 17, so I don't know how old are you, but probably 17, 18.

Q. 15.

MATTEO BERRETTINI: Wow, lucky you.

So I think it's obviously you try to learn your routine, right? You try different stuff and you see which one is working, which one is working little bit less. You start from that. You trust your coach because if he knows you off court, he knows you also on court. That's the key. He knows me off court, unfortunately (smiling).