DAVIS CUP FINALS

November 30, 2021

Jan-Lennard Struff

Kevin Krawietz

Tim Puetz

Michael Kohlmann

Team Germany

Press Conference

KRAWIETZ-PUETZ/Salisbury-Skupski

7-6, 7-6

Germany - 2

Great Britain - 1

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. Congratulations, everyone. My question would be first to the doubles players. Can you guys tell me, what were you thinking when you were down Love-5 in the second-set tiebreak? How did you pull through that one?

KEVIN KRAWIETZ: Honestly, I don't know (smiling). Yeah, it's tough, of course, to start the second tiebreak with Love-5, but we just said, I mean, point by point, maybe we have a chance in this tiebreaker, and then, yeah, we served twice and then we were 2-5. We said, Okay, let's try to make one point out of two. Then turned it around (smiling).

Yeah, crazy. Crazy sometimes.

Q. I think you guys were around a six-tie losing streak in quarterfinals, but I guess to the captain first, what does it mean to end that streak and be back in the semis for the first time since 2007?

MICHAEL KOHLMANN: I think you could see that after the match point, I think a lot of pressure fell off. I was super happy. I mean, last time was 2007, and that year actually I played.

I mean, I thought this team is much better than I was at that time, so I think they deserved it. So I was extremely happy and extremely proud.

Q. It's quite a unique situation where you guys now get to go to a different city, kind of complete the journey somewhere else. How do you think you guys will handle that? What might be tricky about the process?

JAN-LENNARD STRUFF: Yeah, I mean, in Madrid there are a bit different conditions. I think we have now three days to prepare. I mean, it's a bit more altitude, so ball will be flying a bit more. The ball was bouncing here pretty high, so let's see if that's more bouncing there.

Yeah, I think it's very nice to fly with the team. We all said we want to go to Madrid, and reached that aim and now it's time to set a new aim to win the semifinals and be very, very happy. I think we want to go further, yeah.

Q. Can you tell us about your match? You came up with some clutch stuff there to go through. Talk us just through the match and what do you think made the difference?

JAN-LENNARD STRUFF: Yeah, was very tough. I started pretty well. He came back. He broke me. But it was very important that I stayed back there, just went back there straight and won the first-set tiebreak after 4-6. So it was very important for me.

Last time I played him, I lost I think the first set 6-7 or something like this. Yeah, big key to win the match that I won the first set.

Second, he was better, had a bit -- I didn't play that well in second in some points, but in the third I managed to raise the game and play very aggressive. I think that was very important to win the match.

Q. Kevin, diving on hard courts that way, how are you feeling? Are you hurt? You had a diving volley at some point. I'm just wondering, do you usually do that?

KEVIN KRAWIETZ: Yeah, I'm too slow. That's why I have to dive (smiling). Make some quick steps so I don't have to dive anymore, but yeah.

Q. You're okay?

KEVIN KRAWIETZ: I'm good. Thanks.