The Italian is knocking on the door and considers it a privilege to face the Big Three, even in defeat.
By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Sunday July 11, 2021
After falling to Novak Djokovic in four sets in the Wimbledon final, Italy’s Matteo Berrettini stood on court and watched as Novak Djokovic talked about how Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer made him the player he is today.
“I have to pay a great tribute to Rafa and Roger, they are legends of our sport and they are the two most important players that I ever faced in my career – they are the reason that I am where I am today,” he said on court.
“They’ve helped me realize what I need to do in order to get stronger mentally, physically, tactically; when I broke into the top-10 for the first time I lost for three, four years, most of the big matches that I played against these two guys, and something shifted at the end of 2010 and the beginning of 2011, and the last ten years has been an incredible journey that is not stopping here.”
Berrettini hopes that one day he can make the same type of speech about learning and developing his game through tough struggles with the legends of the sport.
Berrettini: I couldn't ask for more…well, maybe a little bit more. #wimbledon pic.twitter.com/i0Knu2Lm52
— Tennis GIFs 🎾🎥 (@tennis_gifs) July 11, 2021
“In order to win against him, I have to improve more,” Berrettini admitted after the final. “Like he said, he was losing against Rafa and Roger, and thanks to them he improved. That's what I'll try to do. Thanks to him, I'm going to try to get better.”
Immediately after, the 25-year-old Italian was asked if he felt privileged to face the Big Three early in his career, and if he felt that they would help him grow as a player.
“It's an honor for me,” Berrettini said. “I mean, I grew up watching these guys battling and fighting for the big titles. Now I'm the guy that is trying to take the titles away from them. US Open I lost against Rafa, and he won the title. Like I said in Paris, quarters against Novak.”
Berrettini believes he is on the cusp of his Grand Slam breakthrough, even if it didn’t happen today.
“It means that I'm there,” he said of his near misses against the Big Three in the past. “It means that I deserve to be here. I feel it. Today, again, Novak was the better player on court, but I'm getting closer. Every match that I'm playing against them helps me to get closer. Obviously they're improving. It's tougher and tougher to get there.
“I just need matches like this. I just need experiences like this. That's what we said to my team. Obviously, also this kind of anger, disappointment that I have now, it's really helpful, is going to be helpful for the next events.”
