AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 22, 2025

Lorenzo Sonego

Press Conference

B. SHELTON/L. Sonego

6-4, 7-5, 4-6, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Lorenzo, sorry about your loss. Tell us in your words what you think about the match and how you felt through the match.

LORENZO SONEGO: I think just I'm happy for the tournament, for the experience. I'm really grateful for the opportunity to play in the quarterfinals in the center.

Yeah, I really enjoyed the tournament, the atmosphere today.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You had played Ben not in two years, I think. Did he seem like a different player than he was when you last faced him? What were some of the differences now than what he didn't have before?

LORENZO SONEGO: I think he's changed a lot in the two years. I played him in Paris two years ago. Yeah, he improved a lot with the serve and also with the forehand.

No mistake today. Yeah, a great player now, and he's in confidence. Yeah, I think he's a better player than two years ago.

Q. You played a couple of up-and-coming players in this tournament in Joao and Learner. How do you assess their potential from having played them?

LORENZO SONEGO: Can you repeat?

Q. You've played Fonseca and Tien in this tournament, and I was just wondering how you assess their potential having played them?

LORENZO SONEGO: I think they are two potential top 10 in the next maybe two years. They need experience on the tour, but they play unbelievable.

Fonseca is a really good player. He play with quality. I think he's the future of the new generation.

Q. Lorenzo, last conference you talk about your team has a big engine, has a big support. I want to know a little bit deeper about this exactly, why you are feeling working with this team, what do you think they are pushing you to do your best on court?

LORENZO SONEGO: Yeah, I changed my team last year, and I think it was my best choice in my life maybe. They help me a lot in the last few month. Yeah, we did great pre-season in Mallorca.

Yeah, we worked together. We are a great team. I have the opportunity to share some nice moment with them. Yeah, I'm so, so happy for my team. They help me a lot.

Q. This is a question about medical time-outs, not about your match. There has been some criticism this week about players exploiting the time off court. Do you think some players on the tour do spend too long off court when they're taking an MTO?

LORENZO SONEGO: I don't know. I don't know what happened. Just I watch the highlights from the tennis matches. I don't know what happen.

I think the rules are good. That's it.

Q. (Indiscernible) the rules that are in place at the moment?

LORENZO SONEGO: Yeah.

Q. Lorenzo, can you rate the level of play tonight? Ben told that you played ridiculously well in this match. Was it, I don't know, the best tennis match you were involved in in the past? Can you rate the level of play today?

LORENZO SONEGO: Yeah, the level was really height in the third and fourth set maybe. In the first and the second I put some mistake on my serve. I served not the best serve in my life, but I tried to put some energy on the third. Then something is change.

Yeah the level was really, really high tonight.