DAVIS CUP FINALS

November 23, 2023

Matteo Arnaldi

Team Italy

Press Conference

B. van de ZANDSCHULP/M. Arnaldi

6-7, 6-3, 7-6

Team Italy - 0

Team Netherlands - 1

THE MODERATOR: We will start with questions in English.

Q. Matteo, a tough one there for you today. Can you just talk us through the match points and if you have any regrets with how they happened?

MATTEO ARNALDI: I mean, I don't have many regrets. I think he played pretty good. The only one that could be is 7-6, something like this, when I missed the return. But he served a bit slower than the usual, so I wasn't expecting that.

But I think was a good match. Since Vienna I wasn't playing, so I'm pretty happy about my performance. If I would have won, we would be all happy and everyone would have said that it was a good performance.

So I think I'm pretty happy about this. I didn't get the win, and I'm a bit sad for the team, for sure, because now we have to fight. Jannik is play now. Then we have to win the doubles. But if I have to speak about myself, I'm pretty happy the way I played.

Q. Matteo, obviously every match in Davis Cup is important, but do you think your match, the first one, was really quite crucial for today? Because certainly Jannik would be expected to win, but then The Netherlands would be favored in the doubles.

MATTEO ARNALDI: For sure. I mean, first of all, I think every match is crucial (smiling). So if you win 2-0 it's better than go to the doubles.

But, I mean, Jannik is play now. I don't know the score, 6-All now. Here is pretty fast. Every match is very open, so you never know.

I don't know what to say. I mean, for sure I wanted to win and would have been important for the team, but we didn't get it. I didn't get it. Now we just focus on this match and try to give everything the double.

Q. Matteo, can you just let us know when you found out you were going to be playing and how it felt to have been selected over, you know, you've got very strong players.

MATTEO ARNALDI: We always decide that at dinner the day before, so we talked, we practice in the morning. We had a good day yesterday, so we had a meeting all together.

We decide that I was going to play, and for sure I was pretty happy. It was my first Finals in the Davis Cup. Bologna I played my first-ever match in Davis Cup. So happened everything pretty quick.

But, I mean, like I said, I'm pretty happy about my performance. I'm a bit sad that I didn't get the win. I'm sorry for the team, but if I have to talk about tennis, I'm pretty happy.