"This tournament makes me feel alive, even though it’s not for ATP points"

Italy faces the challenge of winning their third consecutive Davis Cup in Bologna, a feat that has started well after their victory against Austria in the quarter-finals. Matteo Berrettini and Flavio Cobolli were the ones who led to victory.

And alongside them, of course, the captain Filippo Volandri. Much has been said about Italy these days after the absence of Sinner and Musetti, two top 10 players who decided not to participate in the Davis Cup Finals 2025 for various reasons. Problems? Well, it won't be the same, although for now Matteo Berrettini and Flavio Cobolli seem unconcerned about taking the lead. Their two individual victories tilted the match in favor of Italy against Austria and now they face Belgium in the semifinals. One step closer to the goal, although the team prefers to proceed with caution.

Italy's Press Conference after Beating Austria 2-0

MATTEO BERRETTINI

"One of the reasons I play tennis is to experience this kind of energy, to feel these emotions. I am very happy to have won, I don't just play for myself, but for my team and my country. In this match, I think I am wise enough to know when certain things should happen in the game; plus, I know that with my serve, I can withstand some scores. I am glad that everything worked out well tonight."

"This competition is very important to me, it always has been. Throughout my career, I understood that experiencing these atmospheres is what makes you feel alive in the sport, even without ATP points. It is said that this competition has lost some value over the years, but I always find the best feelings when I play it. It is an honor to see the effort of the whole team and the chemistry that is built with teammates. Many times I struggled to find the motivation to continue, but with the Davis Cup, I always kept it very present."

FLAVIO COBOLLI

"I feel great, today was a great match. I felt a little emotional at the end because it is always a dream to play wearing the Italian shirt, but I managed to control it. I think today was an incredible match, so I couldn't be happier. The truth is, I like pressure, I like playing these types of matches, I even enjoy it. When I feel that pressure, it means I want to play, so I feel great. I slept very well last night, many hours, so I stepped onto the court very happily."

"Belgium is a very solid team, a very compact team. I know Collignon well because we are the same age, I have known him for a long time. He has been playing very well, especially in the Davis Cup. He already won two matches against the Australian team, and I played with Zizou last year in Bologna, so I also know him. We are ready to face them, but every match is different, every day we have to put all our energy into bringing out our best tennis."

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FILIPPO VOLANDRI

"I am very happy with the two matches, pleased with how these guys step onto the court, we knew it was a fairly dangerous tie, we have learned from the past. My goal before the match was to stay very focused, we knew we had a higher ranking, but I try to make them understand that the ranking doesn't count here. They handled the situation very well, especially Matteo in his match, those kinds of games are the ones that make the difference. Today they both did great, so I am very proud."

"For us, each tie is a final, we must face each challenge exactly the same as the previous one. Belgium will be a new final for us. Seeing how they played yesterday, it is clear that they have two amazing players. We have known Zizou for a long time, but there is also Collignon. When they play the Davis Cup, they are much better than their ranking suggests, so we must be concerned and respect them. On our part, we feel we are a strong team."

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, “Este torneo me hace sentir vivo, aunque no dé puntos ATP”