THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 12, 2024

Lorenzo Musetti

Press Conference

N. DJOKOVIC/L. Musetti

6-4, 7-6, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Lorenzo, not the result you hoped for today, but you must be proud of your Championships to get this far.

LORENZO MUSETTI: Yeah, exactly. I feel that, of course, a little bit sad about the match today, how it went. But I have to say Nole I think played a really incredible match.

He showed that he's really in great shape - I think not only in tennis, but physically. I don't have much to say about my game, because I think I did pretty well almost everything.

I have to say that I go home with a lot of positive things to bring and positive feelings. Has been two amazing weeks for me. You know, was really surprising how I could stay at his level today.

Proud of what I've achieved in this tournament.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You and Novak have so many good matches and rallies. What do you think in your respective styles brings that out?

LORENZO MUSETTI: I think it's a great matchup between the two sides, of course. As I was saying to his team in the locker, I think we played, like, this was the seventh time that we were playing against each other, and I never faced a Nole like this, I think.

Today I was really impressed. Probably was our first meeting on grass, so I never face him on grass. I have to say that. I think his tennis really fit very well on this surface. Especially how he returns, it's something like kind of a joke. I have to say today was really a joke at the end how he was returning.

Of course, also in important points he was playing, especially on the second set, like at the end, I had let's say most chances to break him, but he was serving really well. He deserved to win.

I think the combination of the two games can bring every match a great intensity, a great rallies, great fight from both players. So that's why they're always nice, let's say, fights.

Q. When you were planning for this match and going through your strategy, how much did you think about that he had surgery on his knee, that he might have trouble moving? Did that enter your strategy and your planning at all?

LORENZO MUSETTI: No, not at all because I saw him, let's say, playing the other matches. I didn't see him struggling physically. He didn't play probably his best tennis at the first rounds, so he was getting to understand how also he was feeling probably also physically after the injury.

But, honestly, he had time to rest. Of course, in the quarterfinal he didn't play, so he had more days off. No, no, no. I never thought about that he was struggling on the movements.

Q. What do you think you've learned about yourself and your future from how you've performed here at Wimbledon?

LORENZO MUSETTI: I think, as I said before, I bring home a lot of positive things. In the positive things I think I have to recognize that myself, I can face almost anyone, I have to say, in the tour, that I can win with anyone.

Probably before this tournament I didn't have the knowledge, you know, to be someone that can beat anybody. I have to say after this tournament, especially in a slam where the match gets longer. But I think my level can be even more better, I mean, even better in the best of five.

I have to say that I go home with this thought that I can beat almost everybody.

Q. During this tournament, I think you said you tried to change your mindset or you tried to be more positive and good attitude. So I was wondering, are you doing something in order to be positive? Did you do some specific training or seeing a sports psychologist or something like that?

LORENZO MUSETTI: Actually, I'm not, let's say, following any extra tennis work. I think it was just, how can I say, like evaluation of myself on court and try to makes the things change and having more responsibility on court and try to grow.

As you grow in life, as you become mature in life, you can do the same exact thing also in the court, and that's what I was doing. But, of course, starting from the practice, starting from the details of the day, of how you approach a match, how you approach certain moments in the match. From match like today I can just learn and I can just improve myself also on that part.

Q. Every Italian player that sits here gets asked about the success of Italian tennis in the past few months, even years. How important is it to have this group of successful tennis players? How much confidence does it give the other players around?

LORENZO MUSETTI: I think everybody has their own career, but of course, it gets a little bit of more emotion to share almost every week with one fellow Italian in both sides ATP and WTA. Every week there is, let's say, one Italian name in the last four, in the last two or the winner.

I have to say, of course, I have my own career. I have my own way, but of course, if somebody goes far in the tournament from Italy, and of course, I'm really happy for them. Of course, we are even for the Olympics this year, they are, you know, in a special place for me.

I'm really looking forward to share this, let's say, Italian tennis to the world and try to bring more medals that we can.