DAVIS CUP FINALS

November 27, 2021

Cameron Norrie

Team Great Britain

Press Conference

C. NORRIE/A. Rinderknech

6-2, 7-6

Great Britain - 2

France - 0

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Looked like a pretty tense tiebreak at the end. Talk to us about your mindset.

CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, it was tense. It was difficult because he was serving well. When he got the chance, he was coming forward, so it was tough for me to get into the rally with him. Ended up hitting a couple big returns, then he hit a couple big volleys as well.

It was one or two points. I was able to luckily face the second serve. He didn't hit his first serve in. I took advantage of that.

All credit to him. I think I played a pretty solid match. I had chances in the second set as well, but he came up with the goods for me not to break.

I mean, it was great out there playing for my country. Really enjoyed it with the bench there. Especially with no crowd, they were able to pump me up a lot. I just enjoyed the experience.

Q. I think the first time the two of you played was six years ago in Texas. Probably both different players since then. Did you have any thoughts on how things have changed since then? Did you draw on any of that?

CAMERON NORRIE: Twice or three times we played. He's obviously improved a lot, both of us. Definitely the level is a lot better now than it was.

I know his game well; he knows my game well. He's had a tremendous year. He's been very consistent on all surfaces. He's coming along nicely. I really like his game. Great player, great year.

For me it was another huge win, especially in the circumstances with the pressures of Davis Cup, playing France, potentially qualifying. There was a lot on the line. To beat a player of his caliber was massive for me. I managed to do enough today.

Q. Obviously you haven't played that many Davis Cup ties yet. How different does it feel playing for your country?

CAMERON NORRIE: I think it's just difficult and different just with the atmosphere, no crowd. We're here, we just have the two teams. You can hear everything going on. I think the biggest thing is just getting used to that.

For me, unbelievable to be back on the team playing for my country. I really like being in a team, being in the atmosphere. I've really enjoyed the week so far with everyone. It's just a nice way to finish the year.

Nice to prove myself again, to keep the pressure on, to keep playing big matches. It's exactly how I want to be finishing the year, exactly the matches I want to be playing to set me up next year for hopefully another big year.

No, I really, really enjoyed the experience today.

Q. Sadly we can't be there for reasons we know. It does appear from a distance that there's kind of quite a lot of camaraderie between you all. Can you tell us what sort of things you've been doing off the court to engender team spirit? Do you play any games, getting up to stuff in the evenings or whatever?

CAMERON NORRIE: I've really enjoyed it a lot. The hotel's amazing. With the team, everyone's getting on really well with everyone. Everyone likes to compete. We've been playing a little bit of cornhole, some darts. We've been watching the other matches together, going to dinner. Some good chat.

Just nice to be part of the team, especially we go play all year long, we're with our own smaller teams. It's nice to come together at the end of the year and share this moment. To be part of a proper team, yeah, I'm really enjoying it.

It's a lot of fun off the court. I think it really helps. We're spending a lot of time together. Then knowing they've got our back off the court as well, they're supporting a lot. You probably saw our bench compared to their bench. It was huge. Yeah, we got some great members on the team. Really enjoying it thoroughly. Good day so far.

Q. What is cornhole? Who is the best darts player?

CAMERON NORRIE: Cornhole is the game with like the bean bags that you have -- it's like an angled thing you have to throw on and get it into the hole. We have a little tournament every night.

Darts, we're playing doubles at the moment. Doubles around the world. It's pretty even. Possibly I think Joe rates himself as the best player so far. I'd have to say Joe.

Q. Looking ahead to tomorrow, the Czechs gave France a pretty good run for their money, pulled off one surprising result. I assume you watched all those matches. What are you thinking?

CAMERON NORRIE: I mean, I watched yesterday or the other day. They're great players. Vesely has been in the top hundred for a number of years. They have three guys, I think 130, 140 who I've seen a little bit. They play at a great level, too.

I think Czechs in general like playing indoors. Historically they've been a very tough Davis Cup side. It wouldn't surprise me at all the results and the level they played yesterday. All those guys have had great years, have had a lot of wins under their belt.

It's going to be just as difficult as today. We're going to have to rest up and get ready for it. It's not an easy one at all. We all watched, and they're playing some of their best level. It's not going to be easy.

We're all looking forward to the challenge ahead. Going to go out now, and we still have to take care of this doubles as well. A lot to play for and a big challenge ahead.

Q. (Broken audio.) Was that at all motivating to make you want to be here on this team next time?

CAMERON NORRIE: Say that again. Say the start again.

Q. Not making the team last time...

CAMERON NORRIE: It's always going to be difficult, especially at the time. Kyle and I were around similar ranks. I think I was 50, he was 70, but he's had a lot of experience. Leon actually I think made the right call in the end, and Kyle played great.

Yeah, it happens. It's the nature of the sport. There's nothing you can do. But I'm really happy to prove myself and to make the team again. It feels good to be back in the team, to be playing for my country.

Yeah, I was happy to get the call back and to be in the squad again.

Q. I think I know what the answer will be, but just to get your thoughts on how the path through the competition is going to be. If you finish top of the group, Serbia finishes top of their group, that's a tough quarterfinal on Tuesday. Kind of reminds me of the football World Cup where sometimes it's almost better to finish runner-up in your group. I guess for you and Leon, you don't really look too far ahead. I guess you just focus on the match rather than future opponents.

CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, I mean, it's a difficult one. I mean, at the end of the day you can't really look too far ahead. You're going to go out and you're going to do your best, try to compete as hard as you can, try to get through. We still got to get through.

Regardless of who we play, we've got to go out and give a hundred percent, try to get the win. Yeah, I mean, if we play Serbia, that's what it is. Even if we manage to sneak through without finishing top of the group, I mean, there's going to be another team waiting for us just as difficult as Serbia.

Yeah, we're going to go out and we'll be ready for anyone. But we got Czech first. We'll get ready for that one.