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DAVIS CUP FINALS

November 21, 2019

Kyle Edmund

Paris, France

GREAT BRITAIN 1, Kazakhstan 0

EDMUND/Kukushkin 6-3, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Kyle, please.

Q. Could you give us an assessment of how well you played out there and an insight into what the spirit's been like in the camp this past week or so?
KYLE EDMUND: Yeah, my playing was good. I mean, the result shows that as well. But the performance was good.

So I've been practicing really well. I had a good feeling about how I've been going about my practice this week and my performance on court. So obviously no guarantees when that happens. But I was trying to just transform that onto the match court. I was just eager to really put myself out there and play my way. I'm very expressive with how I play my game. I was happy with what I did.

The style of play that Kukushkin puts out there is very tricky. So there were a lot of mini battles within the match, and I thought that I handled them really well. It's a completely different ball he hits, almost sometimes underspin that you're not used to. I had a good balance of being aggressive and also putting the ball in court when I had to do that.

The team spirit's been great. I mean, Davis Cup week is always really fun. I wanted to be on the team. I knew there was a chance I wasn't going to get picked between me and Cam. But when Leon told me I was going to play, that I would be in the team, I was really chuffed, looking forward to it.

It's been a different type of week because of the new format. But we've been together longer, like two weeks now, instead of maybe just a week. It's been really good. I've really enjoyed it. The stuff we've done off the court has been good fun. I'm sure you've seen on social media and stuff. But it's been good.

We couldn't have done anything more in preparation for the matches.

Q. What's been the key for you to turn around your form, the way you performed in Paris and the way you performed here today?
KYLE EDMUND: Sometimes it just -- your time just sort of, I don't know, maybe comes, which sounds like it's out of your control, but you keep chipping away and working and slowly it just comes together at a time. I feel that's happened. Just very rational decisions, Where can I do stuff better?

The biggest improvement has been physically as well. For quite a chunk this year, I wasn't where I wanted to be at and just sort of really battling that. But now I've -- like the last few months I've really felt like I can push harder and stuff. I think that's helped me, and my game involves me to be explosive. Yeah, powerful. But maybe just I have to be intent to the way I play, that's my game.

I also feel that's been a change as well.

Q. Kyle, when you were going into the Paris Masters, did you have it in the back of your mind you wanted to make a point to show that, for the purposes of this team, you could be a valuable part of it?
KYLE EDMUND: Well, I knew, like, the situation, that was my last tournament. So if I was going to have a chance of getting in, you obviously need to show that, that where your level's at.

But, you know, not so much Paris. Like, Vienna, Antwerp, they're all opportunities, and I didn't win any matches. But at the same time, it wasn't about the Davis Cup, it was about me personally. I'm, like, it's my career as well so I wanted to do it for myself as well.

I think Davis Cup was just something there as well that was in the back of my mind that I knew would be a nice positive to have if I got in. So, yeah, in one way it was a shame that I was winning some matches and the season ended in that way, maybe it would have been nice to carry on. But the year is so long anyway. There are loads of opportunities. And the year, you know, comes upon you pretty soon anyway.

So my sort of thinking is hopefully I can keep pushing this through preseason and start the year quite strongly.

Q. Kyle, it's been a while since Andy has been in the Davis Cup squad. I wonder what difference does it make, not so much from a tennis point of view, just having him around in the squad?
KYLE EDMUND: It's good. He's been around a little bit on the tour anyway so you see his face again, which is good. It is more just obviously we know the player he is. In sport, it's having presence is a big thing. And having someone like Andy in your team, you know, people seeing that name as well, also helps when people see that.

Also, it's just nice. It's good to have almost your full-strength team in some way. Of course, there could be little debates about what the strongest team is because there's probably more than five players that could play.

But it's good to have him. He was out basically for two years. So the fact he's just able to play and be on the Davis Cup team, there's only positives, no negatives about it.

Q. If Britain gets through, it will be Germany tomorrow night. Talk about the challenge of playing Germany. And also as a football fan, do you have any memories of great England-Germany World Cup matches down the years?
KYLE EDMUND: Not too much. I can't think of a lot of Germany matches that I actually watched. The last one was like a friendly, wasn't it? I can't think of many of that.

But I don't know. We've got to win first so we've got the doubles. Germany is obviously strong. I think they haven't lost a match, I don't think. Their singles players are playing well.

I know Struff off the court. He's a really nice guy. The way he plays, he's just so dangerous. Watching Bublik, he's very free, he goes for his shots. So we'll see.

Yeah, anyone who qualifies through their group to get through is obviously doing something right and playing well. So that's the bottom line I think.

Q. Kyle, I was wondering if you could explain some of the thinking behind Andy not playing today. Was it a team decision that he just wasn't physically up to it or did you think more about the matchups tactically perhaps and wanting to get you on court to play Kukushkin rather than Bublik?
KYLE EDMUND: Yeah. That sort of decision is not really my decision, not something is like we analyzed loads. Just because we finished so late last night, people are doing their recovery, some people are doing their own thing, like eating, or Jamie is doing his own thing because he finished later.

So those decisions were probably made between Leon and Andy himself. He obviously didn't play, so there was a reason. It's not like the decision needs to be explained. So, yeah, Leon just said, You're going to be playing tomorrow. And that was my focus just from then on that I wanted to get ready for today's match.

Yeah, I mean, I don't know the ins and outs of why he didn't play. Obviously, it's clear, Andy is still coming back from quite big surgery, a long grueling match yesterday that's got to play some sort of part in the decision-making.

Q. Kyle, this may be history, but I wanted to check that you feel that that knee issue is completely in the past? And also, could you say a word on Franco Davin?
KYLE EDMUND: I've been feeling a lot better with it. So I think more recently, my performances has showed that a bit more. But, yeah, you always got to do everything you can to try and stay healthy. That's sometimes half the battle in this sport, is you always give yourself a chance if you're healthy. If not, you're almost battling yourself first before the opponent.

So being in this position I'm -- I take a lot more less for granted being on the tour and seeing and feeling what can happen if you do get some sort of bad news with your body. But it's in a good place right now so I'm pleased with that.

And yeah, with Franco -- I mean, basically after this, we'll start trying to -- well, work together in terms of seeing how it goes. Like, the very first session we'll ever do.

We made the decision to finish the year and then get going and have that sort of preseason to get started. So it wasn't like you come straight into a tournament week. We've got time to talk together about tennis, talk together about me and life, and get to understand each other.

So I think it's dangerous to just say you straightaway work with someone because you don't know them. There's always that mini trial period. Of course, you don't go into trial periods looking. You always look to move and go forward. So that's all right.

I'm looking forward to it. He's got good experience. He's got good quality as a coach from what I've seen as well. I don't know him. So I'm excited, really. I think it would be a good opportunity for me.

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