Matteo Berrettini's Note to Self: "Just Be Proud"

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Matteo Berrettini's Note to Self: "Just Be Proud"

Italy’s Matteo Berrettini took some time to acknowledge his achievements during his five-set battle with Diego Schwartzman on Day 6.

The takeaway?

Just be proud.

“I have to realize. I'm really happy, really proud of myself,” Berrettini told reporters after the match while describing his difficulties getting past Schwartzman. “I was saying to myself during the match, I think during the fourth set, because I was complaining about myself a little bit, I was asking myself more and more, like always. But some point I just said to myself, ‘Okay, Just be proud, you know, for what you're doing, for what you did this year or the past years, you know.’ Yeah, I'm really happy.”

Berrettini has been a true revelation in 2019. Not only has he reached the second week of a major for the first time here at Wimbledon, he has won two titles including his first career grass-court title at Stuttgart, in which he did not drop serve in 50 service games.

The 23-year-old Italian became the first Italian man to win a grass-court title since 2011 and he has also made his Top 20 debut.

But his challenge will grow greater in the second week as he is set to face eight-time Wimbledon champion Roger Federer on Centre Court in the round of 16 on Monday.

“For sure is gonna be unbelievable experience, and I think I have the weapons to, I mean, to play my match and see what's gonna happen,” Berrettini said. “I'll be focused on my serve. I try to play aggressive. I think that's the point.”

Federer is just two wins shy of his 100th all-time Wimbledon win and he’s bidding for his record 17th quarter-final at the Championships.

“Saw his run, of course, in Stuttgart,” Federer said of Berrettini. “Now he's backing it up here again. That's not easy to do, especially when you're sort of newer on the tour. He played a bunch of finals at 250 levels, as well.”

Berrettini will have to recover from playing the longest match of this year’s Wimbledon on Saturday. He was on court for 4:19, compared to just 2:06 for Federer, who eased past Lucas Pouille in straight sets.

“I'm expecting a tough one,” Federer said, adding with a smile: “I hope he has no energy left after today. I'm sure he'll recover. He's young. I'm sure we'll see a tough match on Monday I guess it is.”

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