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LAVER CUP

September 22, 2019

Geneva, Switzerland

Team Europe - 13

Team World - 11

THE MODERATOR: Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to this press conference room the winners of Laver Cup 2019, Team Europe.

(Applause.)

THE MODERATOR: First of all, I would like to ask the floor for a toast.

STEVE ZACKS: It's my honor to congratulate Team Europe on your third consecutive victory.

(Applause.)

ROGER FEDERER: Cheers, everybody.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. First of all, congratulations to all of you. How special is this one compared to the other two victories?
ROGER FEDERER: Rafa, go first.

RAFAEL NADAL: Every victory in any place is different, but honestly, we have been speaking a little bit the other day, winning by teams is just amazing, because, you know, you celebrate together. Is very special thing.

Losing is less painful together, and winning is better. Yeah, is a great feeling.

First year have been amazing experience, but everything new. So have been, of course, so difficult at the end.

But this year I think I appreciate even more how difficult is to win this competition, no? Because everything goes to Sunday. The way that the format is done is great, but is for people who has the heart in good conditions (smiling) because everything is so close. Yeah, anything could happen.

We feel, of course, a little bit lucky that we won, because anything could go any way. So just congrats to everyone. Well done.

Q. Congratulations to all of you. A question to Sascha. Obviously amazing crowd today. How did you hold the pressure? Can you explain the emotions you went through?
ALEXANDER ZVEREV: Yeah, I mean, everybody helped me, the crowd especially. I don't think I have ever played in an atmosphere like that before. You know, it's been absolutely amazing.

Actually, Rafa and Roger helped me a lot before the tiebreak and going into our locker room where we had a little bit of a break, and they gave me a lot of nice words, a lot of positivity. And how they were on the bench and how everybody was on the bench was an unbelievable feeling for me to win in the end.

Q. Björn, you and Roger have won it three times now...
ALEXANDER ZVEREV: I have won it three times.

ROGER FEDERER: Sascha, too. Don't forget him.

RAFAEL NADAL: And two times victory point.

Q. John McEnroe was saying this loss was going to sit with him for quite a while. You, as the winning captain, what does this mean to you?
CAPTAIN BJÖRN BORG: I tell you one thing, I hope it's going to sit for quite a while for him, for many years to come.

Seriously, great team. I said this is the most important week of the year for me, as a captain. I mean, I have been waiting for this week, and to get the players together and finally we are here and we are here in Geneva, and the team spirit for this week has been unbelievable.

We are very close together, and the team understand what to do and not to do. So I think that's one of the reasons why we were able to win for the third time.

Players here, best players in the world, but still you need the kind of players understand what to do and not to do. So it is very important.

And for me to spend time with these guys, to understand who's going to play, who's not going to play, maybe some players get a little bit disappointed not to play, but I think the goal is to win.

I think we were a little bit fortunate team this year. So what can I say? As a captain, I'm very happy. I was so nervous.

ROGER FEDERER: You have ice in the veins, Björn. You don't get nervous.

CAPTAIN BJÖRN BORG: I have ice in my veins, but to come to this week from home, it's very stressful for me. I'm very nervous. And I'm so happy we could pull it through. I'm so proud of my team.

Q. Rafa, you played so many competitions in your career, so many tournaments, felt a lot of emotions. Just won the US Open. How does this thing compare that way on an emotional level? What do you think makes it different? Also, how important is it to preserve something like this the way it is?
RAFAEL NADAL: I normally don't like much the comparations, because every single thing is different and it's important by itself.

This event is unique, something's always special, so I want to congratulate Roger and all his team for this great job that they really make this competition happen. I think is something very positive, something new, something that is fresh for our sport. And I really believe that makes more people around this sport and that's all about.

Honestly, I really hope that this new and young generations keep supporting this event, because this event is special. So we need to make this event stronger and stronger, because the atmosphere that we leave here is difficult to find in other places.

Just super happy to be part of two of these three editions that already have been on. I don't know. I really hope to keep being part of the team in the future.

Q. A question to Roger. How will you celebrate tonight? Could I come to the after-party?
ROGER FEDERER: No, it's a closed little situation, unfortunately. And it will not be opened up. (Laughter.)

And we are going to have a dinner, and for those who have even more stamina left, it's going to be a last-man-standing competition tonight. (Laughter.)

I don't think that I'm going to be the winner of that competition, but I'll give it a go.

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Sounds very challenging.

(Question for Rafa in Spanish.)

(Question for Roger in French.)

(Question for Alexander in German.)

ROGER FEDERER: English questions, please. I see journalists panicking in the front. Let's give them a go. Chris does go first, sorry.

Q. This is for Björn or for Thomas. John and Patrick were saying that the competition is new, but there is a sense that maybe the way the lineup thing worked out today didn't work out equitably in their view, because they didn't get a chance to pick the players that were going to play against your guys. Should there be any rules that get changed for the next time maybe? Do you have any thoughts on that?
CAPTAIN BJÖRN BORG: Thomas?

No, I will say like this. First of all, this is the best thing happened to tennis, my opinion, Laver Cup. Regarding the rules, unfortunately one of our players got injured. You can always complain. But it's rules.

We are sitting here today. We won. Simple as that.

ROGER FEDERER: That's right. Tell them, Björn. That's right. Loud and clear. Yes.

CAPTAIN BJÖRN BORG: Do you have any more questions?

ROGER FEDERER: The future? Of what? The future of changing?

Q. Maybe in case there is an injury, you get to pick the guy that you play?
VICE-CAPTAIN THOMAS ENQVIST: Well, I honestly don't -- I mean, I honestly don't see that change needed. I think it's a gentlemen's agreement with the two teams. Obviously we had no intention to not playing Rafael Nadal. Why should we? Just coming off a US Open win 2019 and playing unbelievable the first days. As you can imagine, everybody, of course there was no question that he should play.

He was devastated this morning, obviously, not to be able to play. I mean, he wanted to give it all to the team, but he couldn't. We are lucky enough to have this incredible team, so we have strong players to put in.

But as soon as we knew that Rafa could not play, Björn actually made a phone call to John to make him, as early as possible, to get his guys information about this.

So I don't see a rule change needed in case, that I think both teams have this gentlemen agreement. We want to do the right thing.

The whole competition is played honoring the game. I cannot see anybody trying to play each other in this way. That's just my personal opinion.

Q. A question for Rafa. Can you give us some news about your wrist? Do you think it can have an impact on the end of your season?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't think so. Is not my wrist, by the way. Is my hand. The hand is a little bit inflamed after New York. I had a little bit an issue in New York, and then of course probably after the final, the body goes down a little bit.

So I felt a little bit the first day here. Then a little bit more every day. Yesterday I did an infiltration to play, honestly. I just tried to be ready to play.

When you do an infiltration, the next day can be a little bit better, can be the same, or can be a little bit worse.

And honestly, today in the morning was worse, so I really don't see a real reason to make another infiltration to play, because I will not be at my 100%. And without being at my 100%, there are other guys that are better than me, honestly. So the best decision for the team is that we made what we made.

Dominic played in my singles spot and Stefanos in doubles. Both of them make a good job.

And on my end of the year, I really believe and hope that this problem will not change my personal calendar or my personal goals.

(Applause.)

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297

LAVER CUP

September 22, 2019

Captain Bjorn Borg

Alexander Zverev

Stefanos Tsitsipas

Dominic Thiem

Fabio Fognini

Rafael Nadal

Roger Federer

Vice-Captain Thomas Enqvist