The Davis Cup Finals are here. One more November, Malaga hosts the largest team competition in the world of tennis, where Canada must demonstrate whether it is capable of re-editing its title despite the absence of Denis Shapovalov.
Big week of tennis in Malaga with the Davis Cup Finals. Spain will not be there, but those who do defend their crown again are Canadawith a Félix Auger-Aliassime in star mode. Before facing the quarterfinals this Tuesday against Finland, the champion team went through the Media Day to analyze their moment, their memories of 2022 and the joy of seeing the girls lifting the Bille Jean King Cup trophy. Good questions and better answers from one of the most dangerous teams in the draw.
FELIX AUGER-OTHERWISE
“It is always special to return to these courts, last year I experienced a very special moment here personally and professionally, winning the last match to win the title is an impressive feeling. It’s always nice to be back, but it’s much better to be back as defending champion than the other way around, if maybe we had lost that final. It’s nice to go back to the place where you left good memories, I hope it helps us this week.”
“Last year I came in with a lot of confidence, playing some of the best games I’ve played so far in my career. This year has been much more challenging, but yes, I think the most important thing for me and for everyone here is that, every time we come together as a team, there is always the belief that we can win. Here everyone believes in their teammates, we all believe that we can win any game. We just have to take it step by step, this is a tournament unrelated to the rest of the tour, which is why sometimes there are so many surprises. There is a lot of energy, regardless of what happens during the year, we always have the same level of confidence.”
“It’s incredible that this happens before we go to the Davis Cup, it puts pressure on us in some way, but that’s good. It is good to have men’s and women’s tennis in our country pushing each other in the highest ranking, it is beautiful to think that we have both men and women at No. 1. For me this was something very difficult to imagine, I suppose for Vasek, Milos and Frank too, but it speaks very well of how much we have grown as a country in this sport. It was great to see the depth they have within the team with a figure like Marina, showing incredible tennis in her first Billie Jean King Cup. It shows that there are not only a few good players, but that there is a broader group.”
FRANK DANCEVIC
“The feeling of being back here is incredible, it is very special that the boys are together again. Honestly, we don’t feel that much pressure. Last year’s victory was very big for us, of course it would be great to do it again this year, we are not going to hold back. We will go 110% in each game, I feel that this year we are focused, but also more relaxed for having the trophy with us. “We will approach the next tie with the confidence of what we have done recently, knowing that we have the ability to do it again in the future.”
“Every team that reaches the finals is very tough, so we will be as prepared as we can for these first games. The first duels are always difficult when it comes to adapting to the conditions and getting used to the players. We know that Finland had never reached the quarterfinals, so they will come out very motivated and with a win if they continue advancing. We arrived here several days ago, we are preparing thoroughly, trying to be intelligent and maintain the energy of last year’s victory.”
MILOS RAONIC
“It’s a pleasure for me to be back with the boys, what they did last year was incredibly inspiring. I am aware that I am much closer to the end than the beginning of my career, so I just try to enjoy every moment. Now I have a different perspective on life outside the game, but also inside it. “I will do everything in my power to help, that would be the greatest pleasure for me.”
VASEK POSPISIL
“It’s been an incredible period for us, for tennis in Canada in general. We’ve been building this for the last 13-14 years, or even long before. I feel like every two years we’ve had something new, a bigger achievement on stage. The 2013 semi-finals with Milos, Daniel and Frank was incredible, but it’s something you can’t take for granted. Currently we have boys as the best ranked in the world, the same goes for women. We are definitely enjoying it. For me it has been very pleasant to have been part of this journey, to see the team and the country grow, so we will try to keep the wave growing. If you look back 12 years, when Milos and I were starting out on the professional circuit, we would never have thought of being where we are today, that’s for sure.”
2023-11-20 19:07:25
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