Matteo Berrettini came very close to claiming his first Masters 1000 title on Sunday in the Caja Mágica. The Italian player faced an Alexander Zverev who overturned a one-set deficit to end his dream of triumph on his first appearance in the Mutua Madrid Open main draw.

The Top-10 Rome native could not hide his sadness at defeat in the most important final of his career, but was able to look on the positive side of his time in the Spanish capital and what it will give him for the rest of the season.

The key in the final: “I was playing really good at the beginning of the second and I couldn’t get the break. In the third, it was a fight. I think it’s also what he did to make
me play not my best tennis”.

Primer cuadro principal, primera final.

¡Qué gran torneo has hecho, ?? Matteo! ???#MMOPEN pic.twitter.com/VOSzLFtBRE

— #MMOPEN (@MutuaMadridOpen) May 9, 2021

His game: “This was my first final. Hopefully it’s not going to be my last. It hurts now, but I know this loss is going to be useful. Sascha won not easily, but in two sets, against Thiem and Rafa, and today was struggling against me. This is definitely a good feeling and something that I have to use to build in my future”.

Learnings: “I’ve learnt that in the final I won a set I thought was at risk, but lost another I thought I had under control. I feel that I still have a lot of room for improvement by working to be stronger and quicker”.

Thanks to Madrid: “It was a shame not to be able to enjoy the city, but we’re used to it now. We miss a full stadium and their support during tense moments, but you have to value the effort they’ve made here in Madrid. I had fun here, it’s been a beautiful week”.