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ATP CUP

January 4, 2020

Nikoloz Basilashvili

Perth, Western Australia, Australia

R. NADAL/N. Basilashvili

6-3, 7-5

Team Spain - 2

Team Georgia - 0

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You played so well tonight. What are your feelings after the game?
NIKOLOZ BASILASHVILI: Good feelings. I think I was okay physically to the end of the first set, and then I got, beginning of the second set, I got a bit cramps. But in general I think it was a good match. I really enjoyed it, and center court is really nice atmosphere here.

Today I can say many positive things, but obviously playing with Rafa physically is very demanding. I had to put 100%, and some moments in the beginning of second set I start cramping, but then somehow I recovered a little bit.

But in general I think it was a good match. I enjoyed it.

Q. 5-2 down in the second set and you fought back, broke, and won the next three games. How much confidence does that give you going forward?
NIKOLOZ BASILASHVILI: Yeah, I was really happy that I was able to come back from that score, especially with the World No. 1. I think it will give me some confidence for sure for the next tournaments.

Q. Just with the cramping, is that basically because it's your first match of the season?
NIKOLOZ BASILASHVILI: No, I think it's normal, especially with Rafa, because you have to put 100% physically and the first match of the season. And I went from a cold environment from preseason to hot, so it's completely normal.

Yeah, I'm feeling okay. I don't have any problems or something.

Q. How much do you try to take advantage of the Perth heat to try to get ready for the Australian Open? Do you train outdoors a fair bit?
NIKOLOZ BASILASHVILI: I came here a bit earlier, but today it was not like really hot weather. It was perfect weather for tennis. But, yeah, I came a little bit early to prepare, and I think tomorrow it's getting a little bit hotter so it will be more tougher, and then for sure next tournaments and Australian Open I think will be really hot weather, also.

Q. I think you have played Nadal four times now. Do you feel like you're getting a bit closer, like the gap isn't as wide as it used to be?
NIKOLOZ BASILASHVILI: I hope so, yeah. I'm practicing a lot (indiscernible) to go a bit shorter than it was before.

Yeah, I'm just focusing on my work. I'm working a lot. That's it. I mean, I'm not really thinking out of these four matches if I could score or if I was close with the score or no. Just doing my job, just training, and I will see how I perform if I play next time to him.

Q. Looking forward, you're taking on Japan and Nishioka at this stage on Monday.
NIKOLOZ BASILASHVILI: Yeah.

Q. Did you watch much of his match today? What are you going to do to try to get over him?
NIKOLOZ BASILASHVILI: We did preseason together. I never played to him, so he played very good match today. I think he's a very good player. He moves very well, and he feels the court really good. I think it will be tough match, as well.

Q. When you were 2-5 down in the second set, got back to 5-All, and then I think you had that service game, was there an element of disappointment that you didn't hold I think at that 5-All game? I sort of sensed it.
NIKOLOZ BASILASHVILI: I was not kind of, I couldn't really make first serves in general in the whole match but especially on that moment.

But, yeah, I was kind of disappointed that I had to -- I wanted to win this game a lot, but I could not really push. I could not go, you know, 100% on the serve because I also had elbow surgery this year, and I'm kind of feeling a bit avoiding sometimes to go 100%.

But, yeah, I think that coming back from 5-2, I would take just positive from there.

Q. Since starting with Jan in 2018, what do you think has been the biggest difference in your game, like, kind of the last 18, 20 months?
NIKOLOZ BASILASHVILI: From 2018?

Q. Yeah, yeah.
NIKOLOZ BASILASHVILI: A lot. Jan is basically our kind of main base person who is planning everything, and I think I have very good team around me right now. We are working, like, we are doing a lot. We are giving 100% always.

Right now we finally, like, I have basically everything, very good team around me. So we will try to go 100% this year and see what's going to happen.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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