"This is the most beautiful day of my life," Cobolli overjoyed after his victory against Bergs in the Davis Cup
Already double defending champion, Italy will aim for a third consecutive title in the Davis Cup this Sunday against Spain or Germany. This Friday, the Squadra Azzurra eliminated Belgium in the semifinals. While Matteo Berrettini showed great solidity to dominate Raphaël Collignon in two sets, Flavio Cobolli, on the other hand, had to play for more than 3 hours to overcome Zizou Bergs (6-3, 6-7, 7-6). After saving seven match points, the 23-year-old player finally won in a suspenseful finish.
"I won because I wanted to win. I believed in myself for more than three hours. We have a great team. Matteo (Berrettini) is special to me, because he is like a brother. He worked with my father when he was young. I started playing tennis by watching his matches. He is very important to me and today, he helped me a lot during the match.
This is the most beautiful day of my life. I will rewatch the match several times, it was incredible. I am proud of the team. I kept the jersey as a souvenir. I think my father's (Stefano, his coach) reaction is normal. I am his son. We would have won or lost together. Today, we both won: that is our great strength.
I was aware that I could lose, but I tried to do what I do best, which is to be courageous, without asking myself too many questions. I tried to play my tennis. I think I deserved this victory by fighting fiercely. I called on the crowd for help because we are playing at home and they can help us. I felt I needed a little more energy. I have to thank the crowd because it's not easy to maintain intensity for three hours. This is an important event and we are all playing together.
I went to see Zizou (Bergs) because I identified with him. I could have been in his place and I tried to comfort him. I would have liked to receive the same reaction if I had lost. We are fighting for the same goal, to honor an entire country, and it was nice to support him. Having already played these matches in the Davis Cup helped me a lot. I have more confidence in my abilities and I have had an excellent season. I feel good and I am comfortable on the court. I want to play and fight," Cobolli told Tennis World Italia.
