UNITED CUP

January 2, 2026

Stefano Cobolli

Flavio Cobolli

Andrea Vavassori

Jasmine Paolini

Sara Errani

Andrea Pellegrino

Nuria Brancaccio

Team Italy

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: How has your experience been so far? Seems like you've had a lot of fun before the matches have kicked off. Describe what you've done so far and how the team environment has been.

FLAVIO COBOLLI: Hello, everyone. We came here very early to be together, to involve all the team. Yeah, we have a great relationship each other. We spend a lot of time together all the day. We have fun, like you guys saw yesterday on the beach.

So we are ready to start the season together, like a team. We love to play team competition. We are looking forward for the next opponent and our first match.

Yeah, we are ready. We are ready.

ANDREA VAVASSORI: Can I say one thing? I liked Cobolli's press conference Davis Cup than this one. The excitement is not the same (laughter).

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Jasmine, pretty strong 2025. Close to making it into the top five. How do you hope to carry that momentum to get to the next step?

JASMINE PAOLINI: Yeah, it's another year, another year of experience, 2025. Hopefully I can bring those experience to this year and trying to keep the level to improve things in my game. That's the goal.

I'm enjoying, as I always say, play at this level. Hopefully it's going to be another good season. I will do my best to try that.

Q. Over the off-season you officially appointed Sara into your coaching team. Can you share more what led to that decision, what you hope to get out of that?

JASMINE PAOLINI: I think was the moment to say officially, to recognize as well her role in the team. I'm really happy about that. I think she really understand tennis and she really can help our team to perform better.

But we already started I think last year.

Q. Sara, your perspective on officially having that label, being a player/coach.

SARA ERRANI: Yeah, I always say even if I can help her 100%, I'm happy. Just try to be near her and try to help her to improve and to have a good year.

Of course, we are very happy here, everybody together, to play this competition. Is always special to represent Italy. We hope to enjoy on the court also.

Q. Nuria, what do you hope to get out of the experience?

NURIA BRANCACCIO: Actually is my second time playing United Cup. For me it's always really special and important also sharing this week with all of them, especially with Jas and Sara. They're really experienced players.

ANDREA VAVASSORI: Thanks (smiling).

NURIA BRANCACCIO: But yeah, really enjoy playing these kind of competitions. Of course, we'll have a lot for the rest of the season.

Q. Andrea, mixed doubles can clinch ties here. Do you think Italy's strong mixed doubles team here could give the team an edge?

ANDREA VAVASSORI: Yeah, I always have lot of fun with Sara obviously. We shared so many emotions these two years together. She also gave me a gift, like a book with all our photos. It's insane how many photos we have in I think two years. It was a very nice gift that I bring always with me.

Yeah, no, the team is unbelievable. Yesterday we did amazing day. Thanks to the organization, United Cup, organized this day. Thanks to our captain that pushed also to organize a day like this. There was no better start of the year.

I think, yeah, mixed doubles can bring a lot of excitement to the public also. We look forward to play these matches.

Q. Andrea, what are you hoping to get out of this week?

ANDREA PELLEGRINO: Yeah, as Flavio said, we are good friends all together. We are enjoying these days in United Cup. I think we can do a good competition. Let's see what's going to happen.

Q. Flavio, after Italy won Davis Cup, Billie Jean King Cup, how nice would it be to add a third team competition to the title?

FLAVIO COBOLLI: As you can saw on the press conference, we were very happy. We share a lot also after the win. We had a great time on the pub. I spend a lot of time with the families and friend.

But for me was a dream. I think also for them. Is three years that we won the Davis Cup. It's a great thing for all the country, for all the foundation. We are happy to represent every day Italy.

Q. I know it was a few weeks ago that you won the Davis Cup. The confidence of those wins, is that something that you can bring into the new season, or because there was a gap in time the confidence doesn't go to the next season?

FLAVIO COBOLLI: Yeah, the pressure was a lot there. Now I'm more confident on my tennis, for sure. But yeah, the season is different. Now is time to be focus and start well because last year I didn't.

Yeah, but we prepare the season very, very hard, and we training a lot. We are ready to start.

Q. You're now at a ranking of 22. Do you think it's possible to push towards the top 10 like Jannik and Lorenzo?

FLAVIO COBOLLI: Yeah, that's my challenge. That's my goal also. Yeah, we try to do our best to be close as possible to Lorenzo and Jannik. I know is tough.

Q. Stefano, you have a lot of depth in your team. Do you think that is the greatest strength of the team that might allow you to go deep?

STEFANO COBOLLI: For me is the third time in United Cup. First time captain. Is very big honor to stay about these players. There are many world champions here.

I think is another competition, very difficult. There are big teams here. I think I'm trying to work with these guys to make a good mix with work and fun. I think the goal to arrive on the competition the right way.

I think we can make better than last year - I hope. I'm trying my best to put all the players in the right way.

Q. Jasmine, Italy have been so strong in the last little while. Looks like you're having great fun, camaraderie. Is that the key to team success, loving each other's company, or is it more to do with the skill of Italian tennis at the moment?

JASMINE PAOLINI: I think both. Yeah, of course we have fun together even off the court. That's why I think we are coming back after last year. Many of us, we already play the United Cup. We like this competition. We like to be better.

Of course, at the end of the day you have to step on court and play good to try to play a good competition. So I think it's both.

Of course, it helps to say yes to this competition, to have friends, to spend good time with them.

Q. Is there more pressure representing your country, or because you're in the team environment, there's less pressure with support from your teammates?

JASMINE PAOLINI: It's a bit different I think. I don't know. Maybe some years ago I felt more pressure playing as a team. I couldn't play well in Billie Jean King Cup. Then I get more relaxed. Hopefully this year it's going to be the same.

I think at the end you have to step on court and trying to first play for yourself, trying to put on court what you want to put on the court. Then of course your team can push you in the tough moments. Can help you also the crowd.

The first thing is to feel yourself comfortable on the court.