First-Time Winner Spotlight: Matteo Berrettini

Matteo Berrettini captured his first ATP World Tour title on Sunday, beating Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut 7-6(9), 6-4 at the J. Safra Sarasin Swiss Open Gstaad. Hours later, the Italian also claimed his first tour-level doubles crown, triumphing alongside Daniele Bracciali to become the first player since Alexander Zverev last year in Montpellier to win singles and doubles trophies at the same event.

Afterwards, Cecchinato spoke to ATPWorldTour.com:

How does it feel to be standing here with your first tour-level trophies in singles and doubles?
[It was an] unbelievable week, really. I think I played the best tennis of my life and I am really happy. I am also happy that I played singles and doubles and that I was able to play both. I was really good about [managing] my body.

Was winning an ATP World Tour title always a goal when you started to play tennis?
Of course I dreamed about that, but it is so far [away]. When you start, you have to think about the small things to reach and last year I won first ATP Challenger Tour title. Now, I am here with a tour-level trophy.

How much motivation has it given you to see the success of your countrymen, Marco Cecchinato and Fabio Fognini?
A lot. I am following a lot what they are doing and, in Fabio’s [case], for a really long time. Cecchinato is having an unbelievable season, so I think we help each other with these results and that is really good for Italian fans and the Italian movement.

You began the 2018 season outside the Top 100 in the ATP Rankings and without a tour-level match win. How have you found this success so quickly?
I don’t know, really. I just practise really hard and I am just living the experience that I live every day. I hope I will have a really long career… I am enjoying this kind of life.

When did you realise you could make a career out of playing tennis?
I think when I reached my first Challenger final in 2016 in Andria and I lost to Luca Vanni. I played a great week and I beat strong guys. I was really happy with that week and I talked to myself and I was thinking I could play and have a career. For sure, I didn’t think about winning an ATP World Tour title in one and a half years, but if you work and if you practise a lot, that [can be] the result.

What were your ATP Ranking goals at the beginning of the year and do you plan on changing them now?
I didn’t have a goal at the beginning of the year. Of course, I wanted to enter the Top 100… and now I am close to the Top 50. It is unbelievable. I am really happy with what I am doing and I am really proud of my family, my team and I am really enjoying what we are doing together. I have fun with my coaches, with all of my family and that is the kind of life I would like to live. I think I am doing my best to live it.

Is there anybody that you would like to acknowledge or thank for getting you to this milestone in your career?
My family has always been supporting me. They’ve travelled with me to a lot of tournaments that were not that nice and know I’m here playing in the beautiful alps. This week I came without my coach and brought my girlfriend and a friend with me. It worked out very well, maybe I should do this more often. Just joking!