"You are a champion at heart, a warrior in spirit...": Powerful message from Zizou Bergs father amid Davis Cup heartbreak

Zizou Bergs and Flavio Cobolli played out an absolute epic in the semi-finals of the Davis Cup Finals and there had to of course be a loser and that was in fact the Belgian who was left inconsolable after his loss.

Bergs was on court crying into a towel as Flavio Cobolli showed the true spirit of the Davis Cup putting his arm around him and consoling someone who had just been his opponent mere minutes before.

Cobolli had to save seven match points to pull through and qualify Italy for the Davis Cup Finals. This past Saturday, Zizou Bergs father Koen Bergs shared a heartfelt tribute to his son on social media on defeat saying he is always proud of him no matter what and he showed the spirit of a champion and warrior despite defeat.

"My dear son, seeing you step onto the court during the Davis Cup filled me with indescribable pride. You were not only carrying your racket, but also the weight of a nation's hopes, and you gave everything for Belgium. Every serve, every sprint, every drop of sweat was proof of your courage and your heart," wrote his father on Twitter.

"You didn't play just for yourself, you played for your teammates, for your country, and for all of us who believe in you. I saw the fire in your eyes, the determination in your movements, and the love for Belgium shining through every point.

"As a father, I know the sacrifices you have made, the endless hours of training, and the moments of doubt you have overcome. During this Davis Cup, you showed the world what devotion means. You gave everything, and that is the greatest victory there is.

"Whatever the score, you have already won in my eyes. You are a champion at heart, a warrior in spirit, and a son who makes his father extremely proud.

"We lost the match, but you earned the respect of the tennis world. I am happy to have been able to share this wonderful moment with my whole family by my side. We live for these kinds of moments. With all my love and admiration, your father."

The younger Bergs put it into perspective in quotes as per Punto de Break saying that he doesn't remember a moment as emotional as the one he had this past Saturday although he looks back with pride more than anguish that he managed to have the moment he did at the Davis Cup in a match that on any other given moment could've been completely different.

"I don't remember a more emotional moment than this one, it's both the joy of being here and the love you feel for your team and for the supporters who came to see us. Here, it was very difficult to manage the crowd that had come. All these elements combined made this moment very emotional, but at least I am happy to have enjoyed playing.

"It's hard to know if I was the best player in the third set or not, but I'm almost sure that I couldn't fight the same way in another tournament. I imagine it's the same for him. Here, everything changes, you find a different energy at every moment. When you think you're starting to weaken, when you feel your serve is lacking, you score a great point and everything is revived. Then you find your energy again.

"This match would have been totally different if it hadn't taken place here. If you're not tense in a match like this, I don't know what will make you nervous. It's normal for it to happen to you, that you make incredible shots and others you'd rather forget. I prefer to be brave rather than hold back. Steve (Darcis) always helps me go for those balls, trying to fight at 100%, without going to 120%, but without dropping to 70% either. The key here is to realize where you are, what this competition means.

"Everything is incredible, from the opening ceremony, it means a lot for the whole team. Tonight was incredible, at certain moments, I looked at Steve and we laughed at everything that was happening, at all these crazy points we played, the atmosphere was impressive. For me, it's important to have fun, and, if I'm having fun, I have a better chance of playing the tennis I know how to play."