UNITED CUP

December 28, 2022

Mischa Zverev

Alexander Zverev

Laura Siegemund

Oscar Otte

Jule Niemeier

Daniel Altmaier

Anna-Lena Friedsam

Fabian Fallert

Julia Lohoff

Team Germany

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: We now are joined by Team Germany, with the captain Mischa Zverev, who after being the captain for ATP Cup, you're back with a larger team.

How has the experience been so far, Mischa?

CAPTAIN MISCHA ZVEREV: I arrived late, so I missed most of the fun yesterday. I was jet lagged. So far it's been great. We played some cards, the guys played some cards yesterday. I think it was a team bonding.

Sascha, did you win? I'm not sure (smiling).

I think all the fun is ahead of us. We're going to have some team activities. Going to have some great matches ahead of us. As you said, first time being a group, men and women, in one team.

It's a great idea, United Cup, because a lot of times we play for ourselves. We play for the country every once in a while, Fed Cup, Davis Cup, but I think it was time to have a United Cup, where everyone is united. I think playing here in Australia is a perfect location first week of the year.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Sascha, obviously difficult period last year with the injury. How hard was that period for you? What is it like to be here playing again?

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: I mean, obviously I think I'm looking forward to being back on court, looking forward to being back on a competitive court.

I've always said I enjoy a team atmosphere. I think it's a very unique situation to have such a big group of guys in a sport where we're usually alone. Also to have a combined event like that where I think it's very unique in the sports world where men and women compete together.

I think generally I'm looking forward to this week. Obviously I'm looking forward to, number one, being back on court, on a competitive match court, but number two is looking how this event is going to be.

I think it's something that is very important, not only for our sport but for the sports world in general, to have men and women compete together. It's great to see that the ATP and WTA, and obviously Tennis Australia, have come together to do such a great event.

Q. Laura, talking a little bit about starting the season new for you, coming off of how a little bit up and down last year was for you as well. How do you feel as this season begins?

LAURA SIEGEMUND: Yeah, I think after injury, always difficult a bit. You got to groove yourself back into it.

But, yeah, I'm also, just as Sascha said, super happy to be here, super happy to be competing in a team event like this. I think it's just a nice start to the year. You see the guys and the girls throughout the whole year. It's just nice kind of to kick it off with, how he said, bonding team competition like this.

Hopefully it's successful for us so we will create some nice memories. I think, yeah, it's just a great start for the year.

Then I'm looking forward obviously to, yeah, play some more singles this month here in Australia, then also kind of start focusing into doubles down the road this year.

Q. Mischa, I want to ask you about the relaxation of the coaching rules. Have you spoken to the players about how you're going to do any coaching from the sideline or use the strategy room with the replays?

CAPTAIN MISCHA ZVEREV: We haven't had any conversations about I think coaching or the data that we will be offered this year. It's going to be done today, I think, and the next couple days. We still have some time. Like I said, I arrived late.

But data in general in tennis is playing a bigger role these days. Sometimes it's very useful; sometimes I actually call it confusing because there's a lot of things we do need but many things we don't need.

I think it's also very important that I'm the captain, yes, on paper, but I think it's very important that everybody's coach is sitting next to me is there on court and we try to go through matches together because the coaches did all the work over the past year, all the preparation, all the off-season training. In the end it's them who have to guide the players as well.

So my part is just to be there to assist the best way I can. I always say my job is not to interfere, not to bother anyone, and try to do that the best I can.

Q. Mischa, what do you make of the group you guys have been drawn into?

CAPTAIN MISCHA ZVEREV: I think it's an interesting group with especially the United States. They have very strong male and female players who performed incredibly well especially over the last couple months.

I don't want to say that we're not the favorites, because we have a very strong team. But I think it will be very important that we use all our little tricks to kind of win those games. I don't want to say winning ugly is important, but in a team you have to use everything you can to distract the other player in a fair manner, of course, but also to use your strengths and win those ties.

We have four singles and one mixed. There's five points we can get. We need three of them. We're going to try to do it somehow.

Q. Jule, last year was an incredible season for you with the results. How does it feel to start this year? How differently do you see what your goals are for this year?

JULE NIEMEIER: Yeah, obviously was a great year. I'm really looking forward to the next season, to my, let's say, first season where I can play all the bigger tournaments.

Kicking off the season here in Australia is always great. Especially now this week or the next two weeks. It's a bit different combining men and women. I think it's a great opportunity for all of us to, yeah, hopefully have a successful week, yeah, start the next season as successful as possible.

Q. You had a good season last year overall. How do you want to continue to build on that this year? How are you feeling heading into the opening start of the season?

OSCAR OTTE: I had a pretty good off-season. We had a lot of work. Of course, before that I had some matches. One match in Davis Cup. I think I'm pretty good prepared.

Yeah, the first half of the year was pretty good. Second one was maybe not as good as I was hoping for. Had an injury. It's always tough to come back.

Yeah, it's a nice way to have a good start with the team. I think we're all looking forward. The atmosphere is really great. Let's see what the first week brings. Hopefully it's going to be successful.