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DAVIS CUP FINALSNovember 21, 2019Alex De MinaurLleyton HewittJohn MillmanJohn PeersJordan ThompsonParis, France CANADA 2, Australia 1 POSPISIL/Millman 7-6, 6-4 de MINAUR/Shapovalov 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 POSPISIL-SHAPOVALOV/Peers-Thompson 6-4, 6-4 THE MODERATOR: Off we go. Q. Lleyton, can you explain, you know, what was the situation with Nick, why didn't he play the first rubber? LLEYTON HEWITT: He got injured last night. So, yeah, we didn't really have a choice. He, yeah, couldn't play. Earlier today we found out. So Johnny had to step up to the plate. He had a collarbone injury. I think it was similar to what he had at Laver Cup time. That's just the way the cards fell. It's been pretty tough I guess trotting back out the last three nights as well. To Johnny's credit, he went out there and left it all out on the court. Q. John, how long did you know before you were going to play today? JOHN MILLMAN: Look, I had a few hours, but there's no excuses from my end. That performance is on me. I couldn't have been better prepared from Lleyton and the coaching staff. Yeah, that's on me. Q. It was very close and is it fair to say that, you know, the format is different, but the camaraderie, the energy, the fight that you see you guys putting out there, is that similar to other experiences you guys have had in Davis Cup before? LLEYTON HEWITT: I think any time you play for your country, you go out there and you've got your captain and coach and teammates on the sideline. And, you know, added pressure comes with representing your country in that situation. And, you know, I think in any kind of format that I've ever seen anyone play for their country, they go out there and leave it all out there. And this format, you know, as I said, the format changed but we still came here to give absolutely everything we could, and we did that. I'm very proud of my team. Q. John, having the set-points on the first and not being able to convert those, how much was that really a factor going into the second set, even though it was still relatively close in that second set? JOHN MILLMAN: Yeah, a few points in it. In the best-of-three set format, that can happen. Obviously, it's a little more disappointing when you have those chances and you don't take them. But yeah, it just hurt a lot. Q. Alex, the way you turned that match around, what made the difference after the first set? Because he was playing incredible tennis in that first set but then the way you turned it around and ended up winning, just address that. ALEX de MINAUR: Yeah, well, I mean, at the end of the day, I was going to do everything in my power to try to give myself chances and fight till the end, and, you know, that's what I did. It ended up going my way. But yeah, it was good to turn that one around. Q. Lleyton, I'm guessing Nick was hugely disappointed he couldn't play. How is he now? Is he in a bit of pain? Or is he kind of just hurting because the team's lost? LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, I guess he feels exactly the same. Obviously, everyone's pretty disappointed. Yeah, all the guys put in a lot of effort and hard work as well, you know. It's not just turning up here. There's a lot of preparation that goes in. And the boys all did that for me and the coaching staff. And yeah, at the end of the day, that's where I'm proud. If you come here, it's not just giving 100 percent on the match court every time you step out there. It's the small things that other people don't see; in the locker room, on the practice court, at dinner, wherever it may be. So, yeah, we're all hurting at the moment. But it just shows that it means something, which is good. Q. After the Fed Cup final defeat, Alicia Molik said that they were going to use the hurt of that as fuel for later years. They've obviously got quite a young team, you've got a young team yourself. Does this make you even hungrier to do even better in future years? LLEYTON HEWITT: You'll have to ask us next year. Right now, it's just obviously disappointment. All the boys, it's been a long year for them all. I appreciate the effort that they gave for me and the other coaches that are in control of the team. And, as I said, I'm extremely proud. You know, it's going to sting, for sure, but these guys have to concentrate on what they've got to do in their own calendar year next year again and, you know, we'll see what happens. Q. Lleyton, we discussed yesterday about the pros and cons of the current format and you said that you would discuss it at the end of the week. So maybe just your thoughts on the new format and how this compares with the ATP Cup, there are a lot of similarities, so how do you compare the two? LLEYTON HEWITT: I don't know now. Very similar. I guess until we see the ATP Cup and see how that plays out, I guess. You know, it's probably a little raw to sort of digest everything here at the moment. The scheduling is a big problem. You know, for us to have had to play these three nights in a row, it's not ideal. Yeah, I understand it's the first time and you're going to have hiccups and you've got to learn from it. But there's been a lot of small problems, that's for sure. Q. My question is going to be for Jordan and John Peers. John, to your credit, I think one of your breakpoints, the ball had a weird bounce -- sorry, John Millman. To your credit, the two breakpoints, one was on his serve and the other one the ball had a weird bounce, that's what I noticed. But you had your chances. It wasn't that easy. JOHN MILLMAN: There's no excuses from my end, like I said. That's tennis. And, you know, it just probably hurts a little bit, not just the boys here and Lleyton, but all the team that put us there behind the scenes, you know. That's what's the most disappointing, not bounces or whatever. I didn't probably see them, so that's fine. Q. Jordan, so nice to see you play again because you had so many injuries in the past, and you played really well. You have been playing well, but the injuries are in the past now. But in that second set, it looked like you had the break. But do you feel like they raised their level? JORDAN THOMPSON: I don't know what injuries you're talking about. Q. (Off microphone.) JORDAN THOMPSON: Still not have had any injuries. It was a tough doubles. Those guys played well. We could have changed a few things. But, I mean, that's hindsight, so... They serve well, they return well. There's not much more we could have done. We tried our best. It wasn't to be, and it's very disappointing. Q. Peersy and Jordan, can you explain how much tougher a loss playing Davis Cup is compared to a regular event and how much more -- Lleyton is saying it's stinging -- but how much more it does sting? JOHN PEERS: 100 percent more. I mean, at the end of the day, we're not playing just for ourselves; we're playing for all the boys here, the whole team, and our whole country. So, I mean, we're hurting now. I can tell you all that. We're going to be hurting together. But we'll come back stronger and bond even closer. We're a close team and it hurts now. Q. Sorry, a final qualification for Hewitt. Of course cons are also for press. These days also for us it's really, really difficult. With also some people of the press have been attacked after the end. I would like to ask you. It was clear to you that Kyrgios was not going to play already later yesterday evening or just today? LLEYTON HEWITT: No, only today. Q. Today. THE MODERATOR: Thank you very much. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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