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ATP CUP

January 3, 2020

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

D. GOFFIN/R. Albot

6-4, 6-1

Team Belgium - 2

Team Moldova - 0

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. David, obviously you were there for part of his match and that turned out to be a pretty epic match. How happy were you to get out there against a guy who you've always had battles with and finish it quickly?
DAVID GOFFIN: Yeah, it's never easy, especially when you stay for one set during the match of Steve, and then I went in, had first warmup, second warmup, and third warmup (smiling). Then finally I went on the court, and from the first point I had good energy, good attitude, and I served well when I needed, as well. So I didn't lose my serve.

Because like I said on the court, it's never easy to start the season with the first match, first team competition, the new format, with the team on the bench. And the way I played, I'm very pleased and so it's good for the next tie.

Q. You had the ability to challenge a foot fault. What was that like for you? How exciting is it to have an innovation like that?
DAVID GOFFIN: Yeah, it's quite cool. But it took a little bit, maybe long time to see the video. It was a little bit dark, as well.

But we will see for the doubles. Maybe they will need the (indiscernible) for something else, but it's something more that we have for the match, and it's good to use the technology.

Q. Then obviously we saw how exciting his match was. What's your reaction to the first tie of the ATP Cup and everything that came with it?
DAVID GOFFIN: Yeah, it was great. The court was amazing. It was fun. The area in the corners are great to see the match. It's very nice also to have, I mean, for my part, two coaches on my right and on my left during the matches. It's something great. And we won the first tie, so at the moment it's 10 out of 10.

Q. Speaking of the team zone and having the guys there, how nice is that that usually you go to your bench, and you could just turn around and talk to whoever you wanted to, get whatever encouragement and feedback?
DAVID GOFFIN: Yeah, yeah, no, it's an amazing feeling that as soon as you have something to say or if you are next to that corner to your team, you can speak, you can say what you feel. And also they can, before a point or before an important moment, you hear what they are saying.

It's quite good. To have the captain, to have my coach, to have Thomas also on the bench, keep motivating me and keep, yeah, talking about the match, it's great.

Q. David, you just touched on the fact that you have had three very tight matches with him before. What made the difference today, and considering that you've also just said first match of the year?
DAVID GOFFIN: Yeah, it was a different surface. I think I played on clay and grass, the matches before. Here was on hard, almost indoors, so different conditions.

I served much better maybe than the other matches. I was more aggressive. I was, like I said, very good intensity, good energy, good attitude. That's made the difference.

I'm very motivated, happy to start the year with new ambitions, so maybe that's why today was a very good match.

Q. Just in terms of the buildup to an Australian Open, we had the Hopman for a number of years which guaranteed those matches. Similar situation here where you're guaranteed a certain amount of matches. Is that more ideal than perhaps playing a couple of regular ATP events where you could get knocked out early leading into a Grand Slam?
DAVID GOFFIN: Yeah, it's even better. Of course for the Hopman we were guaranteed to play some matches and mixed doubles, so it's a lot of matches, a lot of rhythm before the Australian Open.

And here, what is good with this competition is that you can play for your team first, for your country, but also for yourself, also ATP points. It's I think something more that players like, and that's why every match is important. Like the doubles now, we lead 2-0, but for them it's also important, because after that there is another tournament and then the Aussie Open. Every match is nice to play, and always in good atmosphere in a big stadium. So, yeah, it's ideal.

Q. Obviously it was very hot out there whilst you were playing, 30 degrees. How were you sort of handling that throughout the match?
DAVID GOFFIN: Yeah, I had tough days in the past year in Australia, so it was still okay. The roof helped us a lot, I think. It was a few degrees less than outside.

But it was still okay. It was not the wave, the heat wave that we can have in Melbourne, for example, or here.

Q. I just want to go back to Cozbinov. Did he surprise you guys today? And do you expect a great future for the Moldovan?
DAVID GOFFIN: Yeah, it was quite tricky. Of course we are happy now that we won the tie, but, yeah, Steve had tough matches. I don't know exactly what's his ranking, but he proved that he's better than his ranking, especially when they are playing in top conditions like today.

Albot, we know him much better because I saw him many times, I played him also a few times, I know what he can do.

So we will see. They could be tricky. We will see doubles, because the doubles is also important because the other teams I think they have good doubles pairs. But why not? They're going to fight. That's the only thing we thought also that they are going to fight for sure.

Q. How funny was it to see Steve play a three-hour match and then by the end of the first game he was back there for you?
DAVID GOFFIN: Funny, I don't know (laughter) if it was funny or not. For him, I don't think so because he has to do the team list before, he has to play his match, and then he has to take a shower, press conference, then come back on the bench.

Not easy for him, but I'm happy he made everything for the moment, and I'm sure he will do it until the rest of the week.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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ATP CUP

January 3, 2020

David Goffin

Steve Darcis