DAVIS CUP FINALS

November 26, 2023

Matteo Arnaldi

Team Italy

Press Conference

M. ARNALDI/A. Popyrin

7-5, 2-6, 6-4

Team Australia - 0

Team Italy - 1

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. Matteo, how did you win that match?

MATTEO ARNALDI: I don't know. (Smiling.) I can just say this. I mean, I really don't know.

I was playing pretty bad, I think. I played one of the, like the second and third set, one of the worst of this year. But, you know, it was important for me to play every point, to stay there, and try something.

At the end it worked. I'm sorry for Alexei, because he deserved to win, for sure. He was playing better. But sometimes Davis is like this. I had my team cheering a lot, and I think that helped a lot.

What can I say? Just I think the first set I played a bit better. I was a bit nervous, and I blocked a bit. My serve wasn't working, but, you know, like I said, I just tried to stay there and tried to win the important points. And I think I did it well.

Q. In tennis, have you ever felt as you feel right now?

MATTEO ARNALDI: You mean about emotion?

Like I said on court, this match was very important and emotional for a few things. One, this year for me was the first time playing for your country. I played when I was junior, but Davis Cup is just different. So for all the ties that we're watching, just one responsibility more.

And then like I said, a month ago, three weeks ago, an important person passed away. I think he gave me the power to try to stay there, and I think I also blocked a bit for that, because I really wanted to win for all this reason.

It wasn't easy to play, but they gave me the power at the end to try to win the match.

Q. Can you just talk about what it was like to be picked for the quarterfinal, be replaced for the semifinal, and then come back for the final? Just how you managed all of that team selection.

MATTEO ARNALDI: We always decide who's gonna play, like, the day before. So I wouldn't say "replace." I would say, like, we decided in that moment, let's say for that match, Musetti was better.

Like I said after the match I played with Netherlands, it was basically three weeks that I wasn't playing a match, since Vienna against Rublev, so also play three matches in a row would have been a bit tougher for me.

But we decide that Musetti was better, and I'm happy that the captain gave me the opportunity to play today. So I can just say this, and I gave everything out there, both matches.