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DAVIS CUP FINALS


November 18, 2019


Frank Dancevic

Vasek Pospisil

Denis Shapovalov


Paris, France

CANADA 2, Italy 1

POSPISIL/Fognini 7-6, 7-5

SHAPOVALOV/Berrettini 7-6, 6-7, 7-6

FOGNINI-BERRETTINI/Pospisil-Shapovalov 6-2, 3-6, 6-3

Q. How proud are you and what did you think was the difference in your match?
VASEK POSPISIL: Sorry?

Q. How proud are you and what did you think was the difference in your match?
VASEK POSPISIL: I'm very happy with how I played. Obviously been playing well the last few months and definitely pretty high in confidence. And feel like my game is in a good place and so is my head.

So I'm just happy I delivered the first point. It was a very important one obviously. Especially best-of-three matches, every match is very valuable. So I was just happy that I got the team to a winning start.

And Denis played amazing, too, to get the 2-Love win. It would have been nice to get the doubles, but that's how it goes when you have obviously every match is very close. The doubles didn't go our way but it was a great day.

Q. Just Love-40 in the first set, if you hadn't pulled out, it could have been a different match.
VASEK POSPISIL: Yes, of course. So, I think, yeah, Love-40 I rushed a little bit that game for sure and then I luckily kind of realized that. I tried to refocus and just go one point at a time. I knew if I could find a couple of big serves, suddenly it's 30-40, deuce.

So I tried to stay calm. And then, yeah, I mean, definitely could have been a different match if I had got broken there. Yeah, I mean, I like to think that I would have, you know, fought back if I hadn't won first.

Q. Denis, thoughts about the quickness of the surface here in Madrid as compared with other tournaments indoors.
DENIS SHAPOVALOV: Yeah, it's pretty quick. I think Paris was pretty quick as well. So it's pretty similar, to be honest. A little more altitude here.

I like to play on fast courts, I think it really suits my game. So I'm happy, happy with the courts, and I keep smiling.

Q. I'd like to know what was your feeling when the crowd was picking up a little bit with you, you answered, you showed your ear when you made three aces one after the other and 4-3 in the first set. Do you like this kind of atmosphere? And did you expect this in Madrid where you didn't know there were so many Canadians and Italians?
DENIS SHAPOVALOV: Yeah, I love the atmosphere. I think at a time like this, the end of the season, you know, you're not looking forward to playing events and stuff like this. But to play the Davis Cup and you walk out and the atmosphere is like this and it is so hectic. It's like nothing we have experienced. It's unbelievable.

For me, it's just fun to get into it. Honestly, I don't think the crowd was too good today. They were talking a lot in between my first and second serves, and clapping on doubles. I was getting into it, of course, in the heat of the moment. Maybe I overreact, but at the same time, I was just having fun with it, just enjoying it.

Like I said, it's a bonus to be here to represent your country and for me it's just fun to kind of get into it. And I feel like after I did the ear thing, it turned into a really fun match. I felt like both sides of the fans really got into the match. And yeah, I mean...

VASEK POSPISIL: Tennis won today. Tennis won...

DENIS SHAPOVALOV: There is a win for tennis. (Laughing.)

Q. It was a crazy match. It went back and forth so much in the first set. If you were to boil it right down, he missed a volley at 4-3 up, and you made a volley in the tie-break in the final set. He missed that serve and volley and then made one, popped it long, and made one a couple of points later. Did it just come down to that?
DENIS SHAPOVALOV: It came down to the forehand on match-point, I think. It came down to the last point but honestly, it's an amazing win for me. Matteo is such a great player and he has had an unbelievable season. So for me to be able to get another win like this, it's a huge confidence booster.

And, I mean, it was a real tough match. I think we both played really good today, serving just bombs, and especially on these courts, it is really fast.

So for me, it is another kind of step forward, I think, and just shows me where my game is at. And I'm really happy to get a win over a player like Matteo's class.

Q. I'd like to know what is your feeling about this Davis Cup. There were a lot of discussion before, many people were saying Oh, this is not a true Davis Cup, all that stuff, you know, anticipated this first event. Are you satisfied more or less that maybe you think it is better than thought, worse than you thought, it is how it is?
FRANK DANCEVIC: Actually, I'm surprised. Coming here is the first time that this event was going to be run and nobody knew what to expect. But I'm really surprised how well it's run and I like the format, I think it's good.

I think it's a great format. I think that it's fun. All the teams in one spot, we're playing matches. The crowd I thought was into it today, just like, maybe not exactly the same as when you play at home and the crowds, but I thought overall, for an overall event, I like it. I prefer this system over the old one.

Q. Frank, just what happened with Felix? Why didn't Felix play today? Why did you substitute Vasek?
FRANK DANCEVIC: Well, I mean, he was struggling a little bit with his ankle, he twisted his ankle a few weeks back. So we thought we'd give a little precaution.

But at the same time, Vasek has been playing great tennis. Vasek indoors, playing in altitude is also a great pick.

But given the situation today, Felix, he was a little bit sore with his ankle, Vasek has been playing great, so it was an easy pick to play Vasek.

Q. All of you looking forward to tomorrow? Do you have any feelings about who the Americans will play in singles?
VASEK POSPISIL: Yeah, I like the court. I'm looking forward to tomorrow, for sure. I think, you know, we had a positive day. We have great team chemistry. I think we're enjoying the event.

And yeah, but in terms of who they play, I don't know if Frank wants to answer who he thinks. But I don't think it will...

FRANK DANCEVIC: To be honest, like, we all play similar game styles. And it doesn't matter really who our opponents are. The Americans, they play similar, and they have three big servers. They're probably going to play their big servers, either Querrey, Fritz, an Opelka. My prediction, not sure.

But we have to focus on ourselves. But we're doing well, the guys are playing well, they're using their weapons, they're playing short points, they're playing aggressive tennis. We're going to go out and do the same thing no matter who we play.

So whoever they throw at us, it doesn't matter. We're focusing on ourselves and what we have to do out there.

Q. What do you think about the time? It's half hour after midnight and you started at 4:00. The next day, the second match starts at 6:00. I mean, do you have anything to say about it?
FRANK DANCEVIC: I think it's absurd that it's so late. (Laughing.) It's 12.30. Yeah, it's tough, late nights. But at least we get to sleep in; we play late tomorrow, which is good. If we had to play tomorrow first match, it would be tough.

Q. 6:00.
FRANK DANCEVIC: I know, we play tomorrow evening so that's good.

VASEK POSPISIL: We might see you here at 3 a.m. tomorrow. We're used to playing late.

FRANK DANCEVIC: There are going to be long nights.

DENIS SHAPOVALOV: It's not easy but it's... (Laughing.) 3 p.m.

FRANK DANCEVIC: It's not easy, but at the same time, it's something that most of the teams, a lot of the teams are dealing with. We're all dealing with the same things, the same traditions, most of us.

So, you know, we have our teams, we're going to get back and do our rehabilitation as soon as possible, as soon as we leave here, and get the guys ready for tomorrow.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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