DAVIS CUP FINALS

December 4, 2021

Andrey Rublev

Russian Tennis Federation

Press Conference

A. RUBLEV/D. Koepfer

6-4, 6-0

Russian Tennis Federation - 1

Germany - 0

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What clicked for you today? Looked like some of the best tennis you've played in recent weeks.

ANDREY RUBLEV: I would say I was playing today as all my matches, especially the first set. Of all the matches I was winning quite confident the first set 6-2.

But the problem was compare -- I mean, the difference today was compare to other matches, in other matches I was feeling I'm winning quite easy, I don't need to do much effort, and in the end I was completely relaxed. I was giving up to the other guy. Then they start to play better, start to shoot better. Then I was losing or winning in three sets.

The difference today was since the beginning, I was pumped, I was try more on winning, to play as better as I can, to don't give any hope, any chance. In the end I was able to win quite easy.

Q. Next match, if Russia wins, you will have to play Gojo who won against No. 27, No. 33 and No. 61. What do you expect? Did you know anything about him before these 10 days? What is your impression about this guy that not many people knew? How big responsibility you have because the Croatian doubles is probably the best in the world right now?

ANDREY RUBLEV: Yeah, I know him because two years ago I play him here in Madrid at the group stage when we had Croatia in our group stage. But I don't remember much. I don't remember not many things from that match.

He's winning really great matches this week. Like I was saying, here the ranking doesn't matter. If the player is 200 something, 200, 30, everyone can show his best level here and they can beat great players. This is normal. So we'll see.

Now he's having confidence, he's playing on a great level. He showed three great matches. So hopefully Daniil is going to win now, and hopefully I'm going to play him tomorrow.

Q. (No microphone.)

ANDREY RUBLEV: First we need to win Germany. The last two matches between Daniil and Struffy, one Struffy won, one Daniil. So we'll see what happens. Germans also have great doubles. So we'll see. Patience (smiling).

Q. One of the great strengths of your team is the strength and depth you have with Karen, Aslan as well. You've not really used that strength and depth because you have played all the singles matches, so has Daniil. What is the process of picking the team? How keen have you been to keep playing in the No. 2 position?

ANDREY RUBLEV: You mean of support or... Sorry.

Q. There hasn't been much rotation of your team.

ANDREY RUBLEV: Okay, okay.

I think we would like everyone at least to play one of matches, doesn't matter singles or doubles. But the problem was that in a group was really important to win the first match 3-0. We tried to put -- I think they tried to put as best option as possible at that moment.

With the Spanish, was deciding match. I think they didn't want to stress, to put for example Karen who didn't play yet one match, to put him straight on deciding doubles is also a lot of pressure. It's not easy. When you played already one match is one thing. Another thing is when you go to play your first match, is already deciding match, you know?

Then in quarters when finally we won 2-0 because was too late, they canceled doubles. Karen and other guys, they couldn't try to play one match. The same thing I think here.

To put straight the first-ever match, it's already semis, it's a lot of pressure. It's not easy. I think it's more safety and more logical to put someone who already play matches here, who already know the conditions, who already feel the court and the ball quite well.

I think this is the key.

Q. How much of the Billie Jean King Cup finals you watched? The Russian tennis federation won the Billie Jean King Cup. Talk about some of the relationships you have with the women. You played a lot of doubles with Pavlyuchenkova this year.

ANDREY RUBLEV: To be honest, I didn't watch one match. I was playing some other tournament, I think.

But, yeah, we have great connection with the players, with almost all the girls, and especially with Anastasia, as you mentioned, because of Olympic Games. Of course, I was texting them congrats or good luck, yeah, some messages like this.

But I didn't watch not one (smiling).

Q. Have you or you and the team thought about the men's team double this year: start the year with the ATP Cup, close the year with the Davis Cup?

ANDREY RUBLEV: I mean, I didn't think about it, but will be great to start with the ATP Cup and to finish with the Davis Cup title.

But it's still too early to say this because we need to win still a tough match that is going to be now. I think they're playing already. In case we win, is going to be super tough final.

Q. Most players have been asked about Peng Shuai. What do you think about it? It's interesting to see if you think WTA was more brave and ATP was a little too diplomatic and Olympic Committee was even more diplomatic to avoid any problems with China. You come from a country which sometimes had some political problems, but your country is not the only one. Medvedev say something the other day. What do you think?

ANDREY RUBLEV: Like you said, our country also had some political problems. You can see we cannot play with our flag here, as well.

I mean, it's really tough question and tough situation because, first of all, we don't have really information. We just don't have really information. We have really, really small details.

As you said, many countries have some political problems. We are playing in different countries with different rules. I don't know if it's brave decision or not. I mean, they know better situation. For them is more easy to take a decision.

But I think still, for example, in our case the tournaments in China are going to be in the end of the year. Hopefully there is still time to get more information and then to take a decision.