ATP CUP

January 2, 2022

Lleyton Hewitt

Alex De Minaur

Max Purcell

John Peers

Luke Saville

Team Australia

Press Conference

PEERS-SAVILLE/Bolelli-Berrettini

6-3, 7-5

Team Australia - 2

Team Italy - 1

THE MODERATOR: Congrats. Lleyton, couple words from you to start off. Was that the start you were looking for?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I guess so. It's better winning than losing. We knew it was going to be three extremely tough matches tonight. That's exactly what we got.

Sinner is a quality top-10 player, and he showed that tonight against Max, hit the ball extremely cleanly.

Then Alex played fantastic. He's had a really big preseason. He came out there and owned the match right from the start. Yeah, did pretty much everything right tonight. That's a hell of a win for him to start the season off on the right track. That gave us an opportunity then for the boys to go out there and play doubles.

Yeah, I think both of them played a fantastic match. Peersy and Sav, right from the word "go," they looked really on and really sharp and gave us a great opportunity.

Yeah, it's nice we're still in with a fighting chance.

Q. John or Luke, you won the last nine points of the match. Can you describe what happened out there?

JOHN PEERS: I guess we got a nice little run at the end. No, we just competed hard all night. It was always going to be a tough, tight match. We have been practicing well together and to be able to come out that first match series is fantastic. Hopefully we can keep building from that. Yeah, see what we can do.

Q. Alex, is that the type of tennis and atmosphere you had been looking for during most of 2021?

ALEX de MINAUR: 100%. I mean, as you've said, not only just the tennis I want to play, I want to bring it to these top guys, you know, just really own the court. But playing in front of a home crowd, I mean, an amazing atmosphere. There is no place like playing at home, and that court gives me amazing memories. It's definitely my favorite court to play on, for sure.

Q. Max, obviously not the result that you wanted, but can you just comment and talk about the experience of being in this team.

MAX PURCELL: Yeah. Wasn't really expecting to play singles coming into the week. Was fortunate enough to get a game. It's great to play in a team environment. Rarely do I get to play with a lot of people around me throughout the year, so it's something different and I was playing for my country, something I hold very highly. I would have liked to have gotten a few more games out there but it looks like I warmed up the court nicely for Alex after anyway.

Q. Can I ask you, Alex, you had a match like that a couple years ago here against Rafa. You didn't get the result, but you're playing that level of tennis. Obviously didn't get to play that Oz Open. Do you feel like it was a similar sort of launchpad, that match, the rest of your summer as that one was, even though you didn't get to make the most of it I suppose a couple years ago?

ALEX de MINAUR: I think the most important part is not to get injured again, so that's the No. 1 priority.

But no, as I have said, I have had amazing preseason. I've been hitting the ball great in practice all the last couple weeks, and it's great to be able to go out there and perform. You know, I'm feeling in the best shape I've felt my whole life, so I'm really going to cherish that, carry that on to the court every time I step out there, and, you know, be ready for every challenge that gets thrown at me.

Q. Next up for the team, Russia. As you look ahead to that, what are your thoughts?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Who was that for?

Q. To Lleyton, next up Russia. As you look ahead to that, what are your thoughts?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, they did extremely well to get through their match today, especially with Medvedev losing, which not a lot of people would have predicted.

Yeah, we just gotta do the right thing. The boys have to recover. Obviously it's extremely late now so have a really light day tomorrow and give ourselves the best opportunity in a couple nights' time. It's going to be over at the other arena as well which is going to be slightly different for the boys. We're going to put our best foot forward and give ourselves a chance. We look forward to these tough chances and opportunities against the very best players.