DAVIS CUP FINALS

November 23, 2024

Matteo Berrettini

Team Italy

Press Conference

M. BERRETTINI/T. Kokkinakis

6-7, 6-3, 7-5

Team Italy - 1

Team Australia - 0

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Matteo.

Q. Matteo, we have seen you more and more confident with the one-handed backhand. Did you play it for a surprise effect? And how much have been you training it more this year?

MATTEO BERRETTINI: I always joke about my backhand, because when I was 14 and I moved to train with Vincenzo, with my old coach before him, I was about to change a one-handed backhand. And when I moved to him, he said, No, you shouldn't play one-handed, because it's tougher, and on clay, it's going to be really tough.

And I always told him, You did the wrong thing. I play way better on one-handed (smiling).

It's definitely something, especially on hard surface, I feel it's easier for me. You know, in order to play two-handed, you have to be really low like Jannik does, and I cannot get that low (smiling).

But yeah, I think I play a lot of slice, so I have a pretty good hand on that side, I would say. When the ball is coming fast, I like to play that shot.

Q. Congratulations. Do you feel like you're back on the performance like you were in the top 10? Do you forget about the injuries? Do you feel good now?

MATTEO BERRETTINI: I think I have been playing a really solid year. You know, when I was playing, I felt good. What I was missing a little bit and I felt during the year was the fact that I didn't play against the best guys for so long, you know. It takes a little bit of matches in order to get there and be consistent at that level.

When I played against them, I always played good, but I felt like, you know, there was something missing that was just matches. Today I think I played one of my best matches. I lost the first set. I should have won it. Thanasi played really good.

So I don't know the level back then, you know, like, I just see the whole thing as a journey. I know that I put my heart on court today, and I played really well.

I think I honestly improved some things in my game, but the level right now, it's so high, you know, like the average level is so high. So it's tough to say. But hopefully next year more matches will come.

Q. Matteo, two things. Firstly, how did you feel with this match? Was it in your mind that this was probably the crucial match for Italy, knowing also how well Jannik is playing? And the other part is Thanasi was saying that he felt, let's say, things really turned was when you broke him in the second set. Would you agree with that?

MATTEO BERRETTINI: So when I step on court, I always try to think about myself and my match. The way I think and the way I am, it wouldn't help me to think about Jannik obviously winning or potentially winning a match, you know. I had to think about my match.

It was really hard to overcome, you know, the chances that I didn't get in the first set. I just kept on fighting, told myself that I was the best player in the first set, and eventually, you know, like, I would have had another chance.

Definitely obviously in the first break of the second set on 4-3, I saw him, that he was, you know, like his energy went a little bit down, because he was holding up pretty well. He knew it already, you know, he won a set that probably shouldn't have won. We play ten times, I would have won nine times. It's very important to stay there, to keep on fighting, to be positive, I could have broke him the first game of the third set.

So, yeah, today the key was being positive and enjoying my game.