UNITED CUP

January 2, 2023

Vincenzo Santopadre

Lorenzo Musetti

Martina Trevisan

Team Italy

Press Conference

L. MUSETTI/V. Durasovic

7-6, 6-3

Team Italy - 2

Team Norway - 0

THE MODERATOR: Captain, a very positive win. Very positive day for Team Italy. How do you assess the performance from your players today?

CAPTAIN SANTOPADRE: Yeah, was a really positive day because there were a lot of things that really worked well. Of course we have to be satisfied of the job of these guys, and they have to be satisfied too.

And as you know, I'm quite old to know that every single day can give something, you have to continue to fight every moment. So we are happy about the performance of these guys. We are happy about the result, of course, but we still need some more points.

THE MODERATOR: Martina, you have had such a great battle today, a lot of emotions and ups and downs. How is it for you, the experience, first match today?

MARTINA TREVISAN: Yes, today was very difficult match for me, but I'm very happy with my win. My team today was incredible, because they helped me a lot. They cheering to me. I think without them it would be very difficult.

But, I mean, I won, so this is the part that I think sometimes it's important to win. I'm very happy.

THE MODERATOR: Lorenzo, a lot of emotions today. You were outside warming up. How was the experience? How did it affect your match today? How do you feel you played?

LORENZO MUSETTI: Yeah, I mean, I was, of course, struggling since Martina's match, because was tough from outside was really a tight match and, you know, I had to warm up for around three hours. But it's okay. When you have a great teammate, Martina showed her fight spirit, she was battling hard. I was very happy for the win. I know that she can play better.

But today was tough, even for me, the other guy was playing good. Especially at the end of the first set, I struggled a bit, and I was complaining too much. But, you know, tennis is always like this. You have to see the result at the end. That's two straight wins.

So I think I can speak for the team, we are really happy and job is not finished, because tomorrow we have to confirm it. But we are really happy about the performance and we are enjoying a lot, even as Martina said, we are a strong team even outside the court. So we are proud of what we are achieving.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Lorenzo, how important was the tiebreak in the first set, because he had the set point, and backhand passing shot? Like, how key was it to get through that for you?

LORENZO MUSETTI: Yeah, I mean, of course was important, the most important moment of the match, because I lost a really bad game on the 6-4, 6-5, serving 40-Love. I was, I think, probably too much in a rush, and was worrying too much about the sun, about the other conditions that were not in I think in the plan of what I had to do.

Because after that was 50/50 the tiebreak, it's always like a roulette, and we know that. And I think I was patient enough to wait the right moment and to find a way to win the tiebreak. Then the second set, of course, I started really good with the break, and then I kept that and, I mean, was fine.

Q. Martina, we started today knowing that Italy have to win this tie against Norway to progress to the city final, and because you opened the play, did you know what results mean what and who progresses if they win? Did that add any kind of extra pressure or things to think about when you started playing?

MARTINA TREVISAN: No, actually no. When I came to the court I only think about my match, my tennis, my energy. Of course I wanted to bring the point to my team, of course. It was the first thing. But I didn't think about anything about points or win or lose.

Q. I might ask our captain to preview tomorrow. One tie we're very excited to see is Matteo playing Casper. What do you think Matteo needs to do against another top-10 player who is playing very well, and obviously if he wins, Italy progress?

CAPTAIN SANTOPADRE: Of course I hope it will be very interesting match. They know each other pretty well, because they played a lot of times in the last years. They have also some nice match.

I think, of course, Matteo should do really well the things that these two guys did today. So he has to fight every single moment, and of course he has to play his game, made of power, power, big server, and sometimes he has to be maybe a little bit more aggressive than he used to be the last matches against Casper.

But, you know, every match is a new one, because he lost quite easy in New York, but the previous match was really close. Matteo deserved to win maybe. And also, the last time they played in Rome was a really tough match for both, and I don't know what to say. I only expect that Matteo will fight like he knows.

Q. Lorenzo, you were talking about the team before and how much you were enjoying being with the team. How nice is it especially to start a season that way after the offseason to sort of begin on such a high note?

LORENZO MUSETTI: Yeah, I mean, I think it's kind of different. Last year I was like playing, like I felt a little bit alone, you know. It was completely different.

For sure now I prefer to enjoy more the moments with the team. I think even if tennis is not a team sport, sometimes it's nice to have some competition that give tennis, let's say, a team event.

So I think I can speak for the team, we are really happy, as I said before, I don't want to repeat myself, but we're enjoying a lot, especially the moments outside the courts. That's the most important thing, I think.

We are happy. Martina is laughing, is always laughing.

MARTINA TREVISAN: Always laughing with Lorenzo.

LORENZO MUSETTI: She is making fun of me, but that's fine. I'm getting used to, but it's fine.