DAVIS CUP FINALS

November 26, 2021

Feliciano Lopez

Team Spain

Press Conference

F. LOPEZ/R. Quiroz

6-3, 6-3

Spain - 1

Ecuador - 0

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. We saw you extremely fired up on the court. Just wondering how it felt at this stage in your career?

FELICIANO LOPEZ: Yeah, I was really fired up. I think it was really important for me to give the first point to my team. Even though I have been playing Davis Cup for many years, I played so many matches, I was a bit nervous at the beginning of the match, but after I went over the situation, I think I played quite good overall.

The second set was much better. After 2-All in the second set I think I played way better than the first set, and so I'm, you know, quite happy with my performance overall today.

It's always difficult. You know, never easy to play Davis Cup. I saw many good players that they went through difficult situations, you know, playing Davis Cup, so I was conscious. I knew that this could happen today.

Yeah, I didn't have the best start of the match, but then I think I played good. Yeah, as I said, I think it was a difficult match for me to face. I didn't expected to be playing this match. I think my role here was to play doubles and then, you know, after everything that happened during the week, I ended up playing the singles. I gave my best. This is everything I can say.

Yeah, very happy with my performance. 1-Love for Spain, and we'll see what happens with Pablo. I think the match is very even for the moment, so we will see who is playing the doubles.

Q. You mentioned a bit, but can you talk about the challenge this week with, first of all, Roberto, and then Carlos having to withdraw? How much did that disrupt the preparation, and what was the process for you to end up playing singles today?

FELICIANO LOPEZ: Yeah, the pressure was the same as always. You know, we have been practicing the whole week. In my particular case, I think I was playing very good. It was preparation for me, you know.

I always had the feeling that the Davis Cup is a good preparation for me. Also, after Davis Cup ties, I used to play good, because it's a great preparation, training, you know, a lot of training, singles and doubles, and a lot of responsibility, as well. So you put everything on every practice session.

I think this is very helpful for me and for everyone, you know, because it's a good week with a lot of tennis played. Normally it's very helpful, you know, afterwards.

Yeah, this is a process that we have been doing always. This week was again a challenge for us with the injury of Roberto, with COVID, with the bad news yesterday that Carlos got COVID, but I think if this thing showed that we went through a lot of things over the years, and we always had something left, and I think this is going to be again the case. We have to show everyone that we're gonna be able to survive, to go over difficult moments, and, yeah, this is what we have to do basically, no?

This is what we have now, and from now on we have to fight and we have to be our best with the players we have in the team. It is true that it is so unfortunate that we are losing Roberto and Carlos, but now is time to fight and to play with the players that we have now left.

Q. You made your Davis Cup debut I believe in 2003. You have been part of four different Davis Cup title winning teams. I'm curious, did you imagine long ago that you would still be in this position playing for Spain when you're 40 years old and being in this role?

FELICIANO LOPEZ: No, of course not. I said before that I didn't expect myself playing the singles today, but I didn't expect myself either representing my country, representing Spain at 40 years old, because I think Spain has a lot of great players and it be always one of my goals to be here in the team because I know how difficult it is to be part of this team because we have a bunch of great players for the last 20 years, I guess.

I knew it's always really difficult to be part of this team, so for me it was always a challenge. Honestly, it's a gift, you know, to be here again and to be playing the singles even more, because this is something I would never ever expected.

So, yeah, I'm very happy that I was able to give the first point to my team, but yeah, you know, this is why and I have been training all my life to live moments like this, to be playing in front of my home, in front of my people, my family. Everyone is here watching me play, and, you know, I cannot be happier. This is something very special for me.

Yeah, I can see now with Pablo and hopefully we can have a good win today. Against Russia on Sunday, we all know it's going to be very difficult to beat them because they are probably the best team in Davis Cup right now, but we will give our best again and we will see what happens.