LAVER CUP

September 26, 2021

Stefanos Tsitsipas

Andrey Rublev

Flash Interview

RUBLEV-TSITSIPAS/Isner-Kyrgios

6-7, 6-3, 10-4

Team Europe - 11

Team World - 1

Q. Traditionally the match that you guys just played, Team World usually wins and gives that team a bit of hope. How does it feel to have won it?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Relief and joy. Well, it was an important match we knew from the beginning entering the court. We knew this match could make the difference in our psychology and in our confidence as a team. It was just an incredible feeling to get over it, and the emotions in the end were really nice.

Q. What was your strategy between the two of you?

ANDREY RUBLEV: I mean, in my case I have no strategy (smiling). Yeah, what I was thinking inside, of course Stef have more experience and he's playing much better doubles than me, especially at the net. I was thinking my job is just to try to help him, for him to have a lead. If he want to cross, let him cross. If he want to go for the shot, let him go. And my job is just to don't try to help him and to don't do easy mistakes.

Even with the time after second set, I start to play even better and I start to also win some rallies from baseline, help him. For him was more easy like this to finish the ball at the net. I think it was a good match.

Q. It was a really definitive final shot you whacked today. What would you say about that? You just knew you were going to win, right?

ANDREY RUBLEV: As soon as he serve that well and I see this easy shot coming, it was just to destroy the ball.

Q. There was a little laughter in there just now. You guys are obviously feeling pretty confident?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Now, you mean?

Q. Just now.

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Yeah, we have built a banter. Each single member of the team we get to know each other. It's nice. We kind of have a little bit of our personalities, and, you know, Andrey is honestly I will tell him he's so funny. I never expected him to be so funny.

No, it's really nice to see him this way, and, you know, all of us, we are joking around sometimes and having a great time.

Q. You just had the strategy meeting. What is the strategy tomorrow?

ANDREY RUBLEV: Tomorrow, I think tomorrow Stef is playing singles.

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Am I? Am I? I don't know.

ANDREY RUBLEV: I'm talking too much here.

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Yeah, I guess. What's the strategy tomorrow?

Q. Yeah.

ANDREY RUBLEV: We don't know who's playing tomorrow.

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Strategy tomorrow is get the last match that we are all...

ANDREY RUBLEV: To win the last match.

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Yeah, to just like enjoy every single moment on the court and have the team fired up for the quality of tennis that we are expecting to bring out tomorrow.

Q. Andrey, you stayed out there a bit tonight to sign every autograph and take every selfie. You are obviously having a lot of fun with that.

ANDREY RUBLEV: I mean, I think it's a part of, of course you cannot give and cannot sign to everyone. Doesn't matter if you win or not. Sometimes we have limited time.

But I feel it was last match and they are screaming like, Please, please. And I remember when I was a kid this feeling, and I know there is no matches so I have time to sign and try to sign as much as I can.