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DAVIS CUP QUARTERFINAL: USA VS CROATIAJuly 17, 2016Zeljko KrajanBorna CoricPortland, Oregon B. CORIC/J. Sock 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. On Friday you lost to Isner and you were in a really down mood. How are you feeling today and how was the match out there? BORNA CORIC: Yeah, it's completely different mood, honestly. I have to be thankful for the Marin and also to the Ivan. They played unbelievable match in doubles. No one was expecting that really. Also Marin today winning in straight sets. He was playing for the three days. He played nine sets in two days, which is really not easy. To play like that today was unbelievable, and the effort from him. I was feeling good coming in the match. I was practicing a lot on the Saturday, doing some work on some things which I was not happy, you know. Today I was playing very good. Q. What do you think the difference was today with your game? BORNA CORIC: I think I was much more relaxed. You know, I was hitting the ball. I was going for the points. I just wasn't waiting for him to miss, because I knew I cannot play like that because he's going to kill me with the forehand. You know, that was my tactic basically, you know, just to maybe try to stay as close as I can on the line and make good tempo, which I was doing very well. Q. Borna, obviously you've clinched the last two ties for your team. You're becoming quite good that. Talk about that. BORNA CORIC: Yeah, I mean, you know, it's not easy to play in a fifth match obviously. You know, I have to be honest, I like that kind of situation. I like it more than playing on the Court 27 somewhere, you know, somewhere far away from the crowd, the people. I just like big stage more, when it's more important. When I have more pressure, you know, when the expectations are big, I like those occasions. I think that's what we're training for. That's what I like. That's what I enjoy. Obviously that's when I play best. At least for now. I hope it's going to stay like that. Q. Zeljko, what can you say about a young player like Borna performing like this under pressure? CAPTAIN KRAJAN: As I mentioned few times, his potential and what he can achieve in his career, and he again showed what kind of potential he is. He always rises to occasion, which he showed playing 2-All here against Sock. He performed -- I mean, if you compare it to Friday, it was another tennis. He's unbelievable player, and what he has in front of him, we can all just look forward and be happy for him. Q. How would you describe this comeback from your team down 2-Love after the first day of rubbers and being able to pull this one out? CAPTAIN KRAJAN: It's really unbelievable. We are still, I mean, I would say shocked from this win. Looking back on Friday and being 2-Love down and then playing against Bryans yesterday, didn't look very positive for us. I have to say honestly after yesterday's win I was believing we have a good chance today, because I knew that Marin and Borna are for sure going to raise their level from Friday. Friday was much tougher. We been here just four days, and it's tough to have four days to prepare for these conditions and time difference and everything. Today I knew they going to bring the quality on the court and it would be very tough for your team to win. Q. France at home in September, I believe. CAPTAIN KRAJAN: Yeah, finally we get to play at home. We are fighting for this. I am a captain for five years. We just played once at home. Now we finally get a chance to play big match, semifinals of Davis Cup. It's unbelievable with the team we have. We have chances in this match, so we are happy about it and looking for that. Q. What was the mood Friday night? When you left here, were you guys really down? Feel like maybe something could happen Saturday? CAPTAIN KRAJAN: No, for sure we thought something could still happen, otherwise we would not win this match in the end. We were positive about it, and that's why we put Marin in doubles. We were risking a little bit because if he will get too tired for today's match. So we risked everything, and we are counting on the performance they can put on the court, what they did yesterday. But as I say, Friday was tough being 2-Love down. It really looked Mission Impossible. Now we are all just unbelievably happy. Q. Can you tell me what kind of advice you gave Borna before the match today? CAPTAIN KRAJAN: Well, as I work with him I know what kind of person he is, so I give maybe just few words. That this is I know his stage and he likes to perform. He's a big character, and I wasn't afraid of this. We were all pushing him to play the tennis that he had to play to beat Sock. Because he played him once and he had a bad experience from it, so we were all just pushing him to do what he has to do on the court. He did it. Q. From an emotional standpoint, how big was the first set in the first singles match today for your team? Really went back and forth. CAPTAIN KRAJAN: The first set from Cilic and Isner? Q. Yeah, the tiebreaker: CAPTAIN KRAJAN: Yeah, for sure it was important. I think even still if Marin would lose this set it would still be a long way for Isner to go. Even if he would lose he had the quality. I don't think in the end he could change a lot of things. He would still win in four or five sets. Q. Borna, also, you've defeated Rafa Nadal before, Andy Murray. Was this the most important victory of your career so far? BORNA CORIC: Now this one or the Rafa? Q. This one. How would this compare to those two? I know they were a big deal, but as far as the team and crowd and everything here... BORNA CORIC: Yeah, that's actually very good statement. I didn't think about that yet. Maybe at the night I will. But it's very big win, especially with the occasion. We were playing for the semifinal. It's a very big occasion. And why I rate it even more is because I wasn't feeling very confident coming into this match. I wasn't playing great on Friday. I had tough few weeks also before on the grass courts, which I expected more or less. But, still, you know... And to perform like this after tough few weeks, actually more than a few, it's unbelievable feeling. I think it can help me a lot for the future, yeah. Q. Borna, what does your shirt say? BORNA CORIC: I have no idea. Shut up and run. Q. Do you think you kind of lived that out today? BORNA CORIC: Yeah, I mean, I did. But I think also I was playing much more aggressive than on Friday. I was going for more shots, more returns. The big points I was going for it, you know. As soon as I had a small chance, I was going for the shots. I wasn't waiting for him to miss. So it's kind of both, yeah, this and also. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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