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LAVER CUPSeptember 23, 2017Patrick McEnroeSam QuerreyJack SockPrague, Czech Republic LAVER CUP Prague, Czech Republic 23 September, 2017 FEDERER-NADAL/Querrey-Sock 6-4, 1-6, 10-5 Europe - 9 The World - 3 THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. There was a lot of hype before this match just about the fact that Rafa and Roger were going to play together. For you guys, how did it feel to be part of it? Were you able to kind of zone all that out and focus on the match? SAM QUERREY: Yeah, it was fun to be a part of it, and I think we got that out of our system right after the coin flip. It was a great match. I thought everyone played well. We had some fun points. It really could have gone either way there. JACK SOCK: Agreed. Q. John, you used to win a lot when you were a player, and now you have a lot of disadvantage in this Laver Cup. How do you feel you're going to change your strategy for tomorrow? VICE-CAPTAIN PATRICK McENROE: I will go ask John and see what he thinks. Yeah, I will get back to you on that answer. Q. For Jack and Sam, just talk about how you see the team's chances tomorrow and what it's going to take, and what do you think the team has in them or not to do it? JACK SOCK: We'll it's going to take some wins. We are down 9-3. I do think we can do it, 100%. The score says 9-3. We have lost, what, 7-6, 7-6, 6-7, 7-6, 7-6, 7-6, 7-6, 7-6, 7-6, 7-6. Yeah, I mean, we have had so many chances first two days. You know, it's 9-3. Could easily be 5-4 us. Could be -- you never know. I think the confidence is definitely helping us going into tomorrow. They submit their lineup first, so we will be able to pick the matchups and what we think is best and kind of go from there. We definitely believe we can win, for sure. SAM QUERREY: Yeah, basically what he said. Even though the score says 9-3, we have lost so many tiebreakers, so many third-set tiebreakers. We could easily be at a 5-4 right now. And that match there, if we pull that out, it's 7-5. It's such a different dynamic. We believe in our guys and the matches are worth so much more tomorrow. If we get an early doubles win, you know, it kind of puts the pressure back on them to win that first singles. Q. What were your tactics before playing two of the best players in the world? JACK SOCK: Try to win. I mean, we both played them in singles a decent amount. We both know kind of how they play. Yeah, I mean, they are some of the best singles players to ever play the game. You never know how it shakes out on a doubles court. I just played Rafa the day before and just played him in singles couple hours before. I had an idea what was going there. We know Roger has great hands at the net, good serves, returns. We were definitely in the match. Yeah, just a slow start on my part in the breaker, but outside of that, you know, we were right there. Q. Federer and Nadal have been 452 weeks No. 1 in the world in singles and they won two gold medals in doubles. Do you see them competitive if they will play also a slam together, or it's a different thing to win a slam, best of five the whole week, two weeks, while they are also playing singles? SAM QUERREY: Well, it's only Wimbledon that's three out of five for the doubles. The other ones are two out of three. But I do think if they played together consistently, they would definitely be, you know, fine for slams four times a year. You know, a lot of these guys, the singles is so tough, it's so grueling on their bodies that they don't play doubles. Not only Roger and Rafa, but I think a lot of the other singles players, you know, in the Top 10, if they really focused on the doubles, they could be, you know, in the mix for Grand Slams week after -- you know, during the four times during the year. Q. I guess before a new event, you don't really know what to expect. I'm wondering, now that it's been two days, any part of it that's taken you by surprise? What's your reaction to the first two days? JACK SOCK: I would actually say it's better than we thought. First year, we knew it was going to be incredible organization, the people putting on. I think everyone knows Tony and Roger backing it and everything. You know it was going to be done really well. You just don't know format, new scoring, how it might shake out, but I would say it's exceeded expectations. I think after the weekend is finished, and players talking in the locker room, I think it will be an event that players are, you know, probably aware of throughout the year on their points and everything and want to be able to be part of the teams. SAM QUERREY: Yeah, same. We even kind of joked before the matches started that, you know, everyone wants to be in the Top 6 for next year's event. It's extra motivation in the rankings. Like he said, everything about the event has been amazing. You can't really think of one thing to change or make better. It's just been first class with every aspect of the event. I'm assuming, if it's possible, it will probably only get better, but it's honestly going to be tough. Q. Patrick, with all your Davis Cup and Olympic experience, what do you think of this idea of sort of the one point first day, two points second day, and three points last day, and the idea of kind of hiding your hand the last two days? How does this compare to other things? VICE-CAPTAIN PATRICK McENROE: I'm glad we have it this way now. Give us a chance tomorrow. Like the guys said, if we can win the doubles, all of a sudden we have a reasonable shot. Obviously we're still the underdog in some of the singles matches. But I think it's great. I think it keeps the interest alive. I do think it makes the picks day to day more valuable, more important. So certainly tonight we have the opportunity to answer their lineup, just as they had today. So I think the fact that you get to, you know, have increased points and that combination of having the option of answering the lineup, you know, those two things together I think make it really intriguing, great for the public, and I think also good for the players. Players like to be involved, and we have already had a couple of discussions about possibly who will play for them and who we'd like to match up against their top guys. I think it makes it really exciting. Davis Cup is different, and you sort of know who it's going to be. I think this is a different twist, which I think adds a little more intrigue. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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