DAVIS CUP QULIFIERS 2ND ROUND: CZECHIA vs USA

September 13, 2025

Austin Krajicek

Rajeev Ram

Team USA

Press Conference

KRAJICEK-RAM/Mensik-Machac

7-6, 5-7, 6-4

Team Czechia - 1

Team USA - 2

THE MODERATOR: Can you just start us off with your thoughts on the match, and then we will open it up to questions.

AUSTIN KRAJICEK: Yeah, that's about as good as it gets. It's really fun to play a home tie, my first one. The atmosphere doesn't get much better than that, to have the fans.

We played a pretty cool match against Carlos and Rafa at the Olympics, but it was the opposite. It was crickets when we were winning points.

RAJEEV RAM: Even booing when we were winning points. (Laughter.)

AUSTIN KRAJICEK: Yeah. So to have the opposite of that tonight, yeah, it's about as fun as it gets, and I enjoyed every minute of it.

RAJEEV RAM: Yeah, I don't have much more to add. It's just so special for us to represent our country. It's only my second home tie. It's his first, but it's only my second, so it's not like we've both done this.

So to play in front of that atmosphere, honestly, it's pretty cool just to be able to exhibit what doubles can be and how entertaining it can be.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Can you talk about what you think the difference was?

RAJEEV RAM: Honestly, I think similar to what he said when we played Spain in the Olympics, this is what we do. This is what we do day in, day out, for a living. We have done it for years, and we practice it.

Some of the stuff, the points that we get into, we practice those scenarios. We really do our best to hone in on it. I think we trust ourselves in the biggest moments to not have to hit miraculous shots to win. I think that's a big difference-maker.

Q. How does this compare to some of your Grand Slam victories and your No. 1 doubles moments over the years?

AUSTIN KRAJICEK: Yeah, Raj has had a few more of those than me (smiling).

RAJEEV RAM: Not many.

AUSTIN KRAJICEK: It's got to be right up there. Honestly, the atmosphere was absolutely amazing tonight.

Yeah, I don't think I've come off the court more fired up than that in a really long time. At the end, I think we all raised our level, everybody on the court, and, I mean, it's right up there.

I mean, Carlos and Nadal was really fun last year playing at Roland Garros, center court there, but to have the crowd behind us every point, it doesn't get much more special than that.

RAJEEV RAM: Well, yeah, I was just going to say, just agree with all that, but I think there is just something special when you play for your country. I think even winning majors and becoming No. 1 and all that, that's incredible for me as an individual. Same for him.

But, you know, for me, this year, a huge goal of mine was to give Davis Cup the best shot I could, and so today was a huge step forward in that, I think.

Q. (Question about being specialists and about the conditions.)

RAJEEV RAM: So the first question for me, I do think it's important, especially now in Davis Cup you can now have five team members. I think before, like when Bob and Mike played, it was a little tricky, because if one of the singles guys goes down, then you're pretty much screwed there. But now, with five players, I think it is quite important to have that.

Then the second question, like, I actually thought the conditions changed a bit. I thought it got a bit slower and less lively. We have all had rain delays before, but I think more than anything, for me, it was an adjustment to what the court and the feel was when we went back out.

AUSTIN KRAJICEK: Yeah, I would say the same thing. It definitely helps to have some doubles guys on the team, no doubt about that, especially with how important the doubles point is in Davis Cup.

Conditions-wise, like Raj said, it did change. We still gave us a breakpoint in the 4-All game and really had a good look to win it in straights there, but those guys played an unbelievable return game to break there at the end of the set.

We regrouped luckily and actually played a really good first game in the third. Unfortunately gave that break back, but we reinstated ourselves in the match quite well there.

Q. (Question about having an edge playing in the U.S.)

RAJEEV RAM: I was wondering where you were going with that. (Laughter.)

Q. Do you think it gives you an edge? You have done this before. This isn't new for you.

AUSTIN KRAJICEK: Well, it's a good stat.

RAJEEV RAM: Yeah, well, first of all, I think I have been lucky to play a lot of team competitions in my life, whether it's all the way back to high school tennis, college tennis, played on the Olympic team a couple of times. I think that format, I seem to really enjoy it, and I feel like it brings out the best in me.

Then, yeah, there is no question that even if we're playing in a far-off place with not that many people, there is still that extra pressure. I think the more you play it, the better you get at it.

Q. Congratulations on a stunning victory. I'm really interested in the dynamic of having a coaching staff that are doubles specialists. Usually you go into a tie, very often it's a singles guy like Tomas Berdych. You've got Bob, Mike, Dave Macpherson. Got some doubles folks probably saying a few things. You're talking doubles language, doubles craft, I presume. How important was that, or going in, having those doubles brains working with you?

AUSTIN KRAJICEK: Yeah, I think it's an incredible advantage for us. Like Raj said, for me, Davis Cup is at the top of the list. We don't get the chance to play for a team that much in tennis as individuals.

So any time we play for our country, it's at the top of the list. And to have Bob and Mike on the sideline there, it gives us a ton of confidence.

At Olympics, when we were playing Rafa and Carlos, we were, Oh, you guys ever played him? They're, like, Yeah, we played him 11 times.

RAJEEV RAM: Yeah, yeah. Like, We beat him all 11 times.

I thought it was, like, Ha-ha, but they really did actually beat him 11 times, or whatever the number was. I don't remember.

AUSTIN KRAJICEK: Yeah, it's such an advantage for us to have them there, and we have gotten closer to them over the years. Yeah, I think it's huge.

Then, you know, Mac coming out here this week, as well, it's another eye that helps us make a game plan, put in the work every day. I thought they really helped us this week, and I think it showed in the big moments tonight when we executed.

RAJEEV RAM: Two things: One, I don't even think it's during the matches, but I think the practices are huge for us because it prepares us incredibly well, and the second thing is they're not just two random doubles guys. They're like the greatest ever to do it (smiling).

So to Austin's point, there is not a situation they have not been in, you know? That's what I think helps the most. You can say something. It's, like, Oh, yeah, it's happened. We were in that situation, and this happened.

That's the most helpful thing.

Q. If USA advances beyond this round, which country would you consider to be the favorites in the Final 8?

AUSTIN KRAJICEK: Gotta say the U.S., right? But every team is unbelievable in Davis Cup, so, you know, we'd go there and compete our best and hopefully bring the best guys we have ready.

RAJEEV RAM: Yeah, you have to figure Italy's up there, too, and they won it, was it one year, two years in a row?

AUSTIN KRAJICEK: Somebody's gotta win it.

RAJEEV RAM: Spain, Italy. I think if you've made it that far, you deserve to be there.

AUSTIN KRAJICEK: 100%.