"Always had a great relationship with Rafa, I wanted to say good luck" - Matteo Berrettini on his warm exchange with Rafael Nadal at the net
Matteo Berrettini was no match for Rafael Nadal in their 2022 Australian Open semi-final contest on Friday, losing 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3. Following the match, Berrettini congratulated the Spaniard warmly at the net, wishing him luck for the final.
At his post-match conference, the Italian shed some light on his relationship with the 20-time Major champion, saying he has a wonderful rapport with the Spaniard. Berrettini also admitted he has always admired Nadal's on-court behavior and personality.
"Always had a great relationship with Rafa since I met him. For me, it was an explanation since really first time that I saw him in the court for the way he is, the way he behaves, and his attitude, we were talking about what I learned from him, so I wanted to say good luck and obviously well done for what he did so far," Berrettini said.
Berrettini and Nadal also interacted in the locker room, with the former World No. 1 congratulating the Italian for reaching the semifinals. Berrettini, on his part, said he he loves having conversations with Nadal and other top players, as he's still learning a lot from them.
"We also chatted a little bit in the locker room. He told me that was a great run, and I told him again, Bravo. It's just really nice for me to have, like, talk to him and have this kind of conversation, because I'm still learning from them, and it's good," the Italian said.
: @wwos 路 @espn 路 @eurosport 路 @wowowtennisIt's a sixth #AusOpen final for @RafaelNadal 馃檶
He outlasts Matteo Berrettini in a 6-3 6-2 3-6 6-3 thriller 馃憦
#AusOpen 路 #AO2022
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"Today he was just way better than me" - Matteo Berrettini on his loss to Rafael Nadal
Berrettini attributed his slow start to not being in the right frame of mind. He admitted his level wasn't up to usual standards, but was happy he managed to raise his game from the start of the third set.
"The first two sets weren't what I expected, what I wanted from myself. I was, I wouldn't say flat, but I wasn't in the right mood, in the right mental mindset and for so many reasons," he said. "I think for the first set time I'm in the semifinals, against Rafa, so many -- there can be so many reasons. But the fact is that I was just like that, and it was good that I had a really big and good reaction. This is the thing that I'm most proud and happy about."
Grazie, @MattBerrettini 鉂わ笍
Congratulations on an incredible fortnight 馃憦
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The Italian pointed out that a slow start against a player of Nadal's calibre was unacceptable.
"But you cannot be in the court I think like this for the first two sets against a player like Rafa. Even if I was like I was in the third and the fourth, I still don't know if I could have won the match, but for sure the attitude in the first two, it wasn't good enough. I think that the score proved it."
The Wimbledon runner-up also stressed that Nadal simply played a lot better than him and that he would treat Friday's loss as an important learning experience.
"It took me a while to adapt, but at the same time Rafa was playing really good. So I learned that you have to be ready any time, and I'm learning this every day since I started playing tennis. It's a sport that you have to be able to adapt to everything that is happening. Today he was just way better than me."
Berrettini's last four defeats at Majors have been at the hands of either Novak Djokovic or Nadal. The Italian said it was high time he started posting wins of his own over the two legends.
Maybe it's time to beat them. In a way I know that my level I think is getting higher and higher. I think here for the third and the fourth, my tennis level was really high. I'm not saying that he was struggling, but he had to play his best tennis to be with me, and this is what the great champions they do normally, no? When you're stepping up the level, they are there with you," he said.
"So I think it's time for me to play these kind of matches as much as possible, to learn from these matches, and next time I want to just get, I want to be ready for them, yeah."