DAVIS CUP FINALS

November 28, 2021

Michael Kohlmann

Tim Puetz

Team Germany

Press Conference

KRAWIETZ-PUETZ/Marach-Oswald

6-3, 6-4

Germany - 2

Austria - 1

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. Second victory in 24 hours. You must be feeling on top of the world.

TIM PUETZ: Yeah, on top of the world, I'm not sure about that one, but we are definitely pretty happy right now. Deservedly so. I think we deserve to be happy right now and enjoy this one night. Start preparing for Great Britain tomorrow.

Q. How proud are you of these guys, the whole team really, leveled the tie and especially after last night, how proud are you of the whole team after these last two days?

MICHAEL KOHLMANN: Yeah, very proud. I think it wasn't really easy to come out today. I mean, we had a big win yesterday against one of the greatest players of the world. I mean, history of tennis. So that's in your head.

And today we were like kind of favorites, so that makes it more difficult, I think. Then actually Jurij played a really good match, so we were 1-0 down. How we handled that, I think that showed what kind of a team we are, that we stick together whether it's running good or running bad. We stick together as a team.

I think that was in the end then that gave us a chance to come back. Yeah. That makes me really proud.

Now, you know, we have our chance to get a revenge against Great Britain. Two years ago we lost to them in the quarterfinals, so, yeah, I'm looking forward to it. I think Great Britain has a great team. We practiced with them here like in the preparation.

Yeah, Leon is a great guy. I'm really looking forward to the tie on Tuesday.

Q. I was going to ask how much revenge might be a motivating factor for Tuesday.

MICHAEL KOHLMANN: Nah, no, because it's a different team. Last time Tim wasn't there. Peter wasn't there. We had Philipp Kohlschreiber, Andreas Mies.

I don't think it's about revenge. We have a chance to get to the semifinals. That's our goal. But it's like nice to play two years in a row, or it's not two years in a row, because last year we didn't play, but twice against them in the quarterfinals, so we can see whether we improve or not.

Q. If I could ask you about the Brits, as well, how do you see their team compared to the one you faced two years ago in terms of their strength?

MICHAEL KOHLMANN: I think they have, with Cam Norrie, they have like a guy who played in the Masters last week, so who had a great year, who won a 1000 Masters in Indian Wells. Yeah, he's actually one of the top guys this year in the world.

Then with Dan Evans, he played two years ago, as well. I think like two years he was like, for me, playing out of his mind actually. He played a really great match against Jan-Lennard Struff. Then they had, on the team two years ago, they had Kyle Edmund, who played I thought pretty well, and Andy Murray. So there was like a little bit different team. Our team is also a little bit different.

I'm positive. I have a good feeling. You know, I think we are in a good position. We came through this tough group. I mean, we have nothing to lose. Our goal was to go to Madrid. Now we are still here in Innsbruck, but it's okay. We take it. It's still there, the goal to go to Madrid.

Yeah, I'm looking forward to the tie, and I think there will be three, hopefully three great matches.