NITTO ATP FINALS

November 20, 2021

Rajeev Ram

Joe Salisbury

Pala Alpitour, Torino

Press Conference

RAM-SALISBURY/Mektic-Pavic

4-6, 7-6, 10-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You've had loads of really tight battles with them this year. How good did it feel to come through that one?

JOE SALISBURY: Yeah, really good. Really good. Especially in this tournament, biggest ATP tournament of the year. The way we did it, coming from a set down, I think not playing our best. Yeah, I think we were really up against it.

We showed a lot of character, a lot of fighting spirit to stick in there and to, yeah, believe we could turn it around and play our best at the end.

So, yeah, very happy to win that and to be in the final.

Q. I don't know if you know you've made a bit of history, you're the first British player to reach final of the doubles at the ATP Finals since the event began. Whether you are aware of that or not, how does it feel to be the first person to do so?

JOE SALISBURY: Yeah, I didn't know that. Obviously makes it extra special, I suppose. I mean, hopefully there will be a lot more.

But, yeah, it's a big achievement. Obviously really, really proud of it. But, yeah, don't want to be just a Brit getting to the final, I want to be the one winning it.

We're enjoying the win right now, but we're going to be back to business soon, really focusing on the match tomorrow and getting the title.

Q. What have you made of the Australian Open's announcement last night regarding all the players must have gotten the vaccine? Do you think that's fair? Is that giving the players enough time?

RAJEEV RAM: Yeah, I did see that. I feel like it wasn't that much of a surprise considering what we knew -- how we knew Australia handled the whole situation from last year.

Whether it's fair or not, I feel like it's kind of up to them, right, how they want to run their event, how they feel about their country and all that. I guess I don't really see that as being unfair, per se.

I think how players react to it is up to them really. Tough to say that it's unfair when we as players are going into another country and all that.

If our tour wants to take a stance on it, it's a different story. But they can kind of have the rules they want.

JOE SALISBURY: I agree. It's not surprising that that's the case. I think everyone knew it was probably likely that was going to happen. Yeah, I think people did have time to get it if they did want to play in Australia.

Q. How do you both feel about Davis Cup? Rajeev, you're in Turin next week, playing in front of a crowd. Joe, it's behind closed doors for the British team next week.

JOE SALISBURY: Yeah, obviously it's a shame, especially it will be my first Davis Cup experience. Yeah, it won't be the same as normal. That's obviously one of the great things about Davis Cup, is you get an amazing atmosphere.

So, yeah, it's disappointing that's going to be the case, but obviously hopefully we can get through the group stages and get to Madrid, and there will be a crowd there.

RAJEEV RAM: For me it's also my first actually Davis Cup. Yeah, the fact I get to be here in Turin is cool because we are going to have spectators. But it's still going to be a bubble situation for us as players, which we haven't had for some time. It's going to be tough. But that's the way it is.

Regardless, couldn't be more excited to play on the team.

Q. Joe, do you practice the tweener or have you always been good? You always seem to nail it.

JOE SALISBURY: Wouldn't say I practice.

RAJEEV RAM: Practices it more than he practices his forehand (laughter).

JOE SALISBURY: No, I mean, I hit it sometimes in practice when I get lobbed. It's not a shot I actually train. Yeah, I suppose it's a shot I've always just been quite good at, I suppose. Yeah, so I don't know why particularly.

I mean, I think it was actually Mate that hit the better one today and we actually lost that point. Yeah, I don't know why really.

Q. Rajeev, talking about the Davis Cup, the American team playing in Turin, what do you make of the team's chances? Tough draw playing the Italians in Italy. Will the faster courts help the Americans?

RAJEEV RAM: Yeah, I think we've got a great squad, to be honest. I think we have one of the best serving teams, I'm not going to say of all time, but of the group currently that's playing Davis Cup. I feel like that's a big advantage for us.

The courts are quick here, like you said. I think that's suitable for everyone on our team. I feel like we have fairly strong doubles and guys in singles that on their day can beat anyone on the day.

I am pretty excited in our first matches, like you said, against Italy. Ready to get going for the word 'go'.