"Playing with Rafael Nadal in the Rod Laver Arena is something that I dreamt about when I was a kid" - Matteo Berrettini

World No. 7 Matteo Berrettini said that facing Rafael Nadal in the Australian Open semifinals at Rod Laver Arena is a "great opportunity" for him. The Italian won a five-set thriller against Gael Monfils to qualify for the last four of the Melbourne Major for the first time in his career.

Berrettini took the first couple of sets but the Frenchman bounced back to win the next two and take the match the distance. But the Italian was dominant in the fifth set and broke Monfils twice to take a 4-0 lead. He eventually won the set and the match 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 3-6, 6-2.

Berrettini had to stay strong mentally, especially with a section of the crowd booing him during the final set. The 25-year-old said he did not have a problem with the lack of support but was annoyed at people screaming between his first and second serves.

"I mean, I'm fine when the crowd is against me, and I think when you're playing Gael, it's normal because Gael is really loved. Also, US Open was like that, and I don't have anything against that," the Italian said. "But I have a problem when you're not correct, because if you're saying something, screaming something between my first and second serve, when I'm about to hit a forehand, like you cough or you do something, then it's not right. I have a problem with that."

Berrettini will square off against Nadal in the semifinals. The 20-time Grand Slam champion won a grueling contest against Denis Shapovalov that lasted over four hours. This will be the second meeting between Berrettini and Nadal, with the Spaniard winning their 2019 US Open semi-final contest in straight sets.

The Italian said that taking on the King of Clay at Rod Laver Arena was something he dreamt about as a kid.

"Oh, it's gonna be, I mean, great opportunity again for me. After two years and a half playing this guy that doesn't need anything more, from my words, for all I said, I watch him so many times in this tournament and other tournaments, cheering for him, and playing with him in Rod Laver in semifinals is something that I dreamed about when I was a kid."

"So I said this, but now I really want to win this match. I know I can do it. It's gonna be a really tough one," Berrettini said. "But I'm in the semis in a slam for the third time, like you guys said, so it means that this is my level and I want to get further."

Matteo Berrettini is the first Italian to reach the semifinals of the Australian Open

Berrettini is the first Italian to reach the semifinals of the Australian Open

By beating Monfils on Tuesday, Berrettini became the first Italian to reach the semifinals of the Australian Open. The 25-year-old said he was "super proud" to have attained this feat and of "writing a little bit of Italian tennis history."

"It makes me super proud. I don't think it's wrong to say that I'm kind of like -- I like to think that I'm writing a little bit of Italian tennis history," the Italian said. "We are a great country for tennis. We had in the past some great champions, and it's an honor for me and a pleasure, like stepping in the court and kind of like having the chance to write these kind of results and achieve such a big, I don't know, results, like I said."

The World No. 7 added that he felt a lot of pride representing Italy and was feeling a lot of love from his fans and family back home.

"It makes me really proud, something that normally I figure out after a tournament, because when I'm in tournament, just thinking about winning the next match or next point, but yeah, I am feeling a lot of love from Italy and a lot of love from my fans, from my family, all my people they saw me like growing up and they're kind of like me: 'Oh, look at you, how far you went'."

Berrettini was not the only player carrying Italian hopes at this year's Australian Open. Jannik Sinner made it to the quarterfinals, but was beaten by World No. 4 Stefanos Tsitsipas on Wednesday.