NITTO ATP FINALS

November 18, 2020

Bruno Soares

Press Conference

GRANOLLERS-ZEBALLOS/Pavic-Soares

7-6, 6-7, 10-8

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Sorry to ask you this after what I guess was kind of a gutting defeat. You're still on the player council; is that correct?

BRUNO SOARES: Yes.

Q. What have you heard about the Australian Open? Are you kind of concerned about where things stand at the moment?

BRUNO SOARES: I mean, I have heard what everyone heard. I mean, the government, I know Tennis Australia was there working closely with the government, but, I mean, they basically have no control, no?

They are working to do the bubbles in December. Yesterday the government came with the decision that no one is allowed in the country in December. So no one is going to get to Australia before January 1st. That's what we know.

I know from now they had a plan with other tournaments in preparation to Australian Open and Australian Open. I guess they're going to have to reassess everything and work with them again to see if we maybe can play some tournaments behind closed doors in the bubble so we don't have to wait 14 days.

But this is what I'm guessing. I think with the change yesterday, I guess they're going to have to discuss and negotiate with the government everything again.

Q. Would you be prepared, if it came to it, if they said that you had to quarantine like normal citizens do and stay in a hotel room for 14 days, would you be prepared to do that?

BRUNO SOARES: It's a tough question. I mean, I have done that before going to the US Open, so I had to quarantine because I tested positive for COVID.

And it's tough to go out there and play right away. So if we have to go quarantine for 14 days inside a room and then go play a Grand Slam, I mean, I will do it because it's my job and I have to find a way, but I think it's quite dangerous for the players with no preparation I think to go there and compete right away. I think it's physically very dangerous.

But, I mean, if we have to do it, we have to do it. It's far from ideal, but again, I mean, it's not in our hands so it's tough to say. I will go there and compete in whatever conditions they present. I know they are working hard to give the players the best possible conditions. Let's hope it's something that we can at least practice and prepare ourselves for for the whole year.

Q. Working with the player council, I wondered if you picked up on the fact that Novak and Vasek are applying to be on the council with the next election at the end of the year and what that meant for the PTPA.

BRUNO SOARES: Yeah, I saw the list. Not only them. There is a bunch of people.

It's quite interesting, because they resigned three months ago to go ahead with PTPA. I don't really know what's going on on the PTPA. I was kicked out from their chat, I guess because I stayed in the player council, so I don't know their ideas. I don't know what they are doing. Don't know much to be honest about them.

Yeah, I mean, I guess it's quite interesting to see them running. Don't really know, I mean, because we don't hear from players. There is not like a political campaign that we hear players talking about what they are gonna do if they get elected.

So, yeah, I mean, I'm probably as shocked and curious as just like you guys with both of them resigning three months ago and then running again.

Q. Could I just ask you, back to the Australian Open again, it may well be that it has to be delayed. What are your views on that? How long do you think? What starting date do you think we should may well be looking at now?

BRUNO SOARES: Well, I think it's very tough for everyone, because there is a lot of uncertainty, but I think we've got to give Tennis Australia some credit and be patient, because we know, at least I know, that they are working really hard to have the best possible summer over there for the players.

Like I said, it's not under their control. The government has been very strict. So I think we have got to be ready. You know, we're all going to go on vacation now. We are going to start preseason. Then just give them time to work with the government to have the best possible deal.

I mean, I know everyone talks about there's no flights, everything is so expensive, blah, blah, blah. I'm very sure that Tennis Australia is going to do everything possible to help the players, help with expenses and everything.

So, I mean, I trust what they are doing, how they work. They have been always very supportive in helping the players, so I think we've got to be patient. It's crazy times. I think Australia even more, you know, they have managed to control the virus, and we know they don't want any other foreign people there maybe bringing something.

So I guess it's time to be patient and let them do the work and hope, you know, the government helps us to have a good summer.

Q. If players can't get there until January the 1st and have to serve two weeks, it's going to be January 18, looking tight, certainly an option, isn't it, to delay one, two weeks or so?

BRUNO SOARES: Yeah, I think there is a couple options now. Delaying it is one option. I think playing the first two tournaments on a small closed bubble -- not a small closed bubble, like in a bubble, like the US Open, I mean, we all know it worked very good at the US Open behind closed doors. They were able to control almost everything.

It could work the same way over there. Then if they plan to go ahead and have Australian Open with fans, everyone would be 14 days in quarantine and tested a few times, and I think we can do it.

If the government then doesn't allow and then I guess maybe delaying one week, it's a good possibility to give everyone at least one week of tournament to prepare for the big one.

Q. Just going back to the player council thing, can you just confirm that you're standing again? And if so, would you be comfortable with these guys coming back onto the council if they were re-elected, or do you think it would be quite a weird vibe given they tried to start this new organization?

BRUNO SOARES: Well, it's interesting. I'm there, I'm running. I mean, Novak and Vasek, they were always very active on the council. And it's nice. It's good to have people. I think that's the goal. All of us at the player council, we've got to work hard and make decisions for the best of the tour.

They decided to form PTPA. I guess all of us at the player council respect that. I mean, there is nothing against what they are trying. Is just I guess it doesn't really go both ways, player council and PTPA, so they had to resign.

Like I said, right now I don't really know what they would be doing if they get elected. I don't think it's gonna be uncomfortable. I think that's the idea. We are 10 guys at the player council. We are used to disagree in certain things, and that's why it's 10 guys to vote and discuss and decide what's best for the players and for the tours.

Like I said, they are always very active and proactive, working for the players. So I guess if they want to go back, they want to try to help the players in the best possible way.