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ATP CUP

January 2, 2020

Perth, Western Australia, Australia

THE MODERATOR: Team Russia. Captain Marat Safin will introduce the members of his team.

MARAT SAFIN: I would say dream team, the future champion of ATP Cup.

We start from Daniil Medvedev. I think everybody knows him from the last year results. He's coming strong. He won a tournament this year already in Saudi Arabia, so we are looking forward to continue his way of playing and beating all the guys.

Karen is coming back strong, practicing hard. Great guy.

Then who else? Teymuraz I think is upcoming with a classic, trying to come back into top 100. Let's see and we wish him good luck for this year. Then Konstantin also is coming back. Looking forward to, yeah, also wishing him luck for this year to come back. I think they deserve. They are working hard. Let's see what's going to happen with that.

And Ivan Nedelko, first time I meet him actually this time. Apparently he's a very nice guy. Hard worker. And also, he's looking forward to do some great results this year.

Yeah, well, I'm pleased to be a part of the team and thanks for the guys to choose me as a captain. I'm very proud of it, and I'm happy to be in such a great, part of such a great team. Everybody is a great guy, which is very important. And I'm happy to be a part.

Enough? Okay. (Laughter.)

Q. Marat, taking on Italy tomorrow night, there's a big matchup in that, Fognini versus Medvedev. What do you think of that match, and how would you describe it?
MARAT SAFIN: Well, the first match is always a tough one. It's first match in arena. Italians are always tough to play against. They are grinders, and they are fighting for every ball. We need to start with a good first step. I think we have a team strong enough to do that, and, yeah, hopefully we're going to go through and then it will be easier afterwards. But it's going to be tough, that's for sure.

Q. Daniil, you have taken on Fognini about three times, beat him in the last two. What do you have to do to win?
DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Yeah, I think I like to play Fabio. I think his style suits me well. I don't think he likes to play against me, but every match is different. Fabio, especially he can sometimes do amazing match. Sometimes maybe not that good.

It's a bit of a chance to see what he's going to do on Friday. Me, I'm just getting ready, practicing hard and hopefully can show some good tennis on Friday.

Q. What's the team's confidence like at this point? Are you pretty confident heading into tomorrow?
MARAT SAFIN: Over the top. Confidence is rocking high up.

Well, the guys, they had a couple of days practicing with each other, and they're getting in shape. It was a little bit tough one yesterday because we practiced in the tennis center. It was a little bit too windy.

Gives you extra mental work to be ready to play without the wind and with less sun, and I think -- yeah, I'm confident, pretty confident about the guys. They know what they are doing. They are professionals and they can get serious, and obviously they came here not to fool around and to take this ATP Cup, because this too I think we have a big chance to win.

Q. Daniil, is there any extra sense of national pride for you, representing Russia at the moment, given the Olympics situation, the ban that's in place?
DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Yeah, of course. I mean, I think all of us played a lot of ties for Russia in different competitions, and this one is going to be one more. Hopefully we can represent our country very well, and we have our flag here that we can represent, so we're happy about it. Hopefully we can raise it high.

Q. What are your thoughts on the ban?
MARAT SAFIN: Well, it's always nice I think to be, to fight for your colors. I think it's a special touch in it, and that's why it means all the group together to be unite and be proud of such a great country as Russia, and we try to do our best, like I said.

I think it's the best thing we can do is winning the whole championship and raise the flag high, like I said. Obviously everybody is proud to be part of it. So I think we are looking forward for the big start of the year for the Russians.

Q. Do you think your country will be watching you closely, given your chance for some positive results?
MARAT SAFIN: They have no other choice. They have to. (Laughter.) They have to support us. Yeah, actually Russia is pretty much into tennis. And I think especially with these two guys now playing good tennis, a lot of people are watching it, and hopefully they are going to bring back the tennis to the high position in Russia. We are going to put tennis back again.

Q. Daniil, before you said Fabio doesn't like playing you, you don't think. Why is that?
DANIIL MEDVEDEV: I just heard him say this. That's all the only reason, yeah.

Q. You said he sometimes plays well, sometimes doesn't. Do you feel like you've got the mental edge over him, given those inconsistencies?
DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Well, me too sometimes I can show some great tennis. Sometimes it's not that good. That's tennis. You have so many days where you play matches that you cannot play the same level all the time. But of course my first goal is to try to be consistent. That's what I'm trying to do, and hopefully it's going to be enough on Friday.

Q. Karen, for yourself, you're back in Perth. You have been here before. How excited are you to step back out on court?
KAREN KHACHANOV: Yeah, excited. Second time in Perth. You know, great memories from being here two years ago playing Hopman Cup, also representing Russia.

Great arena, well known for me. Yeah, I think at that time Roger was here, so the court was a little bit faster. Now they made it slower, and it's a little bit different conditions. But we came pretty early, so, yeah, prepared well and looking forward to start of tomorrow.

Q. You're always smiling, quite happy.
KAREN KHACHANOV: I can be serious if you want.

Q. When it comes to your first game, do you change attitude and do you get serious and knuckle down?
KAREN KHACHANOV: Yeah, of course I will be serious. I will not smile around. Don't worry.

Q. As a team, you seem very confident. Are you confident going into that game?
KAREN KHACHANOV: Yeah, pretty much. If the captain is confident about us, then I feel double more.

Q. There has been some criticism of the timing of the ATP Cup so soon after the Davis Cup. Daniil, is that a problem for you?
DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Yeah, I mean, it's two different tournaments. As you probably know, ATP and ITF are two different companies. It's their decision to make the tournaments.

I think there are a lot of players who play both Davis Cup and ATP Cup, so I can just say that I think it's a great way to start the year. It's changing from all the years before. It's the first time they do it. Of course we are going to see after the tournament if it worked well, but regarding even the list of players who are playing, the cities that we are in, already in Australia, getting ready for Australian Open, I think it's a great choice.

Q. What do you think your captaincy star is going to be? How involved will you be on on-court coaching?
MARAT SAFIN: Well, first of all, I think the captain has to respect the coaches of each player, like, work together. Instead of putting everything on my back, I think it's because -- the coaches they know better the players, better for communication for better effect on the players' performance. I think it's better to work together.

Yeah, I don't want to interfere in some things, because sometimes if I say something, it might not have the right effect and it will be they taking defensive, so I want them to believe in themselves and to do the best what they can do. And, yeah, just that.

It's very delicate matter, because everybody has own character and own approach, how they want to be approached, and I don't want to make any damage, that's for sure. I will try to be careful with my words, and the things -- but still I want to try to help, to pull out the best out of them.

Q. Left to right, what are you most looking forward to, Ivan, about the ATP Cup, each of you?
IVAN NEDELKO: I just want to say I'm really happy to be part of this amazing team. Great guys, great captain. It's really good atmosphere. I'm enjoying to be here. Really happy. So excited, yeah.

A RUSSIAN PLAYER: For me it's same. I think it's a great idea to make this tournament. It's close to World Cup of soccer, and it's before Australia, to be in Australia, it's really, for guys like for Daniil and for Karen, it's great preparation. Like Rafa is here as well. Novak is in Brisbane. It's unbelievable. And we get like unbelievable captain. He give us hard time, believe me. For me, it's great.

A RUSSIAN PLAYER: I'm happy to be here. I was out for long time, and to be around the guys, top-level guys for me is a great experience again. And I hope that I can see where am I now. Of course I will not have chance to play. If something happen of course I will step in, but at least I will have chance to practice here and support the team, you know.

And we have unbelievable captain. Ex-No. 1 in the world, so he can push everybody here. Yes, maybe, winner of the Grand Slams. So, you know, our goal for sure is win here. I will do my best to support my teammates.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297

ATP CUP

January 2, 2020

Marat Safin

Konstantin Kravchuk

Ivan Nedelko

Teymuraz Gabashvili

Karen Khachanov

Daniil Medvedev