CINCH CHAMPIONSHIPS

June 22, 2024

Lorenzo Musetti

Queens Club

Press Conference

L. MUSETTI/J. Thompson

6-3, 3-6, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. Congrats, Lorenzo, first grass court final. How do you feel you played today? How significant is this for you?

LORENZO MUSETTI: Yeah, definitely a tough match, but I think Jordan played really good tennis till the end. We fought really hard till the last point. You know, of course the energy and the intensity that I put on court today was really, really high, and for sure one of the key moments at the end of the third set when I broke him on the 4-3 was something really special and really, you know, really important for the turnaround of the match.

Really, really happy to be in the final.

Q. You looked quite emotional at the end when you did get over the line. How much has this run meant to you? What does it mean for you?

LORENZO MUSETTI: Yeah, it's been a fantastic week, you know. There were many tournaments where I felt when I was practicing that I could go forward but it never happened. Let's say here, I didn't have the results that I probably, you know, needed for my level, for the tennis I'm showing. You know, it's with a lot of pain inside, a lot of suffer, a lot up-and-down.

So, you know, the consistency that I'm founding right now, it's really, really important, because as I said on court, I'm surrounded by really people that really care about me. We are working together as a family, as a team. You know, that's even more special for me with that.

Q. I just wondered if you can talk a bit about what it's like being an Italian player at the moment. Obviously it's been a very big 12 months for your country tennis-wise.

LORENZO MUSETTI: Yeah, definitely. As Italian tennis, we are living a dream, I would say (smiling). Firstly, the win of the Davis Cup. Then Jannik won a Grand Slam title. Then he became No. 1 in the world.

Almost every week we have some Italian even in the women's, Jasmine Paolini, she's doing amazing. With Errani also in doubles, they won Rome.

This week we have Bolelli and Vavassori who made also final in French Open and the Australian Open, and they are finalists also in Halle, as Jannik. So we have one doubles team and two Italians in the finals.

So I think even for the fans and the kids, we are really inspiring people to watch and, you know, to love tennis. That's what we love about sport. It's about sharing with other one our passion, so I'm really looking forward to play tomorrow, and of course I will enjoy even the Halle finals tomorrow (smiling).

Q. I think you lost your first four matches on grass as a senior, but then you had a great grass court season last year and seems like you're even more comfortable on the surface. When you first started, did you always think that you could bring your best tennis on this surface? What has it been like improving on it?

LORENZO MUSETTI: I mean, firstly, I was not really sure about that. I knew that I could play better, for sure, that I could improve. I would say also that the beginning I didn't have, let's say, the chances to really play and have matches on this surface.

So, you know, playing on grass, it's just one month, four weeks of tour in a year, so it's definitely, you know, the matches that you play on grass, you have in your, let's say, how to you say, like, I don't know how to say in English...

Q. Experience?

LORENZO MUSETTI: Yeah, exactly. Every match you play you get experience from grass. Definitely last year it help me a lot, you know, to make two quarterfinals, in Stuttgart and here, and then, you know, playing three matches also in Wimbledon, that was definitely a good year for me.

But of course we made a lot of step forwards this year, reaching the semis in Stuttgart last week and finding really good tennis. Of course the transition from clay is never easy, so I never expected probably the week that I'm having here in Queen's, so I'm really proud. I'm happy that I finally, you know, learn more stuff comparing last year.

Q. You have now reached a final on all three surfaces, on clay, hard, and grass. What do you think that means in terms of your game? Why do you think it's so good on all the surfaces that's enabled you to get to the final in each of them?

LORENZO MUSETTI: Yeah, I mean, it's definitely a goal for me, was a goal. You know, I knew that with my tennis game I could, let's say, play well in each surface.

I always listen to people that they were saying that my tennis was just for clay or that I could never, let's say, win or be at the top level in other surface, especially like fast ones.

They were probably wrong, and that's what, you know, tennis is about: Making experience, have a lot of losses and try to, let's say, improve from, you know, from mistakes.

Of course, as I said before, the first year where I was approaching on grass, I didn't have many matches on this surface, so I was kind of new. I couldn't really move well. I couldn't really find the right balance that now I have.

So I'm really appreciating the fact that I could play in each surface and, you know, then most important thing is trying to focus on my game and not on nothing else, and I know that I can play good in every surface.