DAVIS CUP FINALS

December 5, 2021

Shamil Tarpischev

Daniil Medvedev

Andrey Rublev

Aslan Karatsev

Karen Khachanov

Evgeny Donskoy

Russian Tennis Federation

Press Conference

Russian Tennis Federation - 2

Croatia - 0

THE MODERATOR: We have Russian Federation, Davis Cup champions 2021.

Questions.

Q. You won ATP Cup and Davis Cup. Can each of you or some of you say what is the difference, if it's the same or one gives you more pride, history, whatever?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: I can start because Andrey is on the phone, as always (laughter).

Yeah, I think there are four of us on ATP Cup. Guys could say for themselves. Me, I want to say both tournaments are good. Both tournaments were amazing because ATP Cup was the first one we won as a team. Davis Cup has more history at this moment for sure. We don't know what's going to happen next, so I don't want to say anything too bad or too good about both competitions.

I find them both amazing for tennis and really important. I'm really happy that Russia managed to win them both this year. Yeah, that's cool.

Q. It's been 15 years since Russia won the Davis Cup. What were you all doing in 2006? Daniil, I think you were 10, Andrey was nine.

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: He was nine (laughter).

Q. What were you all doing in 2006 when Russia last won the Davis Cup?

ANDREY RUBLEV: I was there.

KAREN KHACHANOV: I was in the final (laughter).

ANDREY RUBLEV: I was watching Russia against Argentina there. I was kid. I don't remember anything, but I remember I was there.

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: I don't remember if I was there. Probably I would remember if I was. So I was not.

Yeah, I do know that they won it in 2006. I don't know, what can you do at 10? Probably I was at school. No, it's Sunday. Probably I was at home doing my homework or whatever. I don't know.

KAREN KHACHANOV: I was there as well. I remember all three days. I was going to cheer.

Q. Donskoy, you are a more veteran player. How do you feel among all these giants? How is the sensation?

EVGENY DONSKOY: I feel they are trying their best that I feel, okay, comfortable. I think if they were too confidence near to me, then maybe I will feel uncomfortable.

No, they are very nice guys, that's why I'm also feeling a giant near to them. Thanks to them.

You wanted to hear from Shamil?

Q. Yes.

EVGENY DONSKOY: What is the real question to Shamil?

Q. You had the period of Davis Cup with Marat Safin and Yevgeny Kafelnikov. Do you work in Russia, more personalities? What is your explanation for this new victory?

SHAMIL TARPISCHEV: (Through translation by Evgeny Donskoy.) Shamil is saying he was a captain also when there was Metreveli playing, there was also pretty high people. Yeah, feeling great. That's I guess one of the advantages.

Q. Andrey, some of your best results in the second half of this season have been in these national competitions with the gold medal in the mixed in Tokyo, leading the team here. Talk about what you like so much about these team competitions and how much they mean to you.

ANDREY RUBLEV: Yeah, team competition is always special. Here at the Davis Cup or Olympic Games normally we don't have much time to spend together. These kind of competitions, we have to be together almost every day, eat together, have breakfast together, spend time together. This is something special that we are missing that we don't really have time to do. These kind of events, they give us this chance.

It's a great feeling because then you have a lot of memories. This is the most important thing.

Q. Daniil, you had a very feisty week with the Spanish crowd after you eliminated Spain. In the end you got a standing ovation, made peace with the crowd. How was this relationship with the crowd?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: I think in general was good. As I said yesterday, I didn't want the celebration to be rude or anything. I thought it was fun because of my team. We do it often with each other when we play cards or something like this.

Cristiano was also doing it when he was playing for Madrid. I doubt he was booed for doing this. That's why I thought it was fun. That probably was a wrong decision (smiling).

In the end, yeah, today was really cool atmosphere because there were a lot of Croatian people cheering Marin on. I felt that the stadium itself was quite for me. In the end everybody seemed happy to see us win. So it's definitely a good end of the story.

Q. Aslan, you were the quiet one in Melbourne. You're the quiet one again over here. You're smiling, which is good. What do you have to say for yourself?

ASLAN KARATSEV: Well, definitely I want to congratulations my team. They did an unbelievable job.

Of course, it's something special when you win a Davis Cup. It's something emotional, more historic than ATP Cup, but still unbelievable tournament.

Yeah, I'm just so proud. Nothing more to say.

Q. Daniil and Andrey, will you push Mr. Tarpischev, who is a very important politician, former sports minister, to host a round-robin of the Davis Cup next year? Do you think Moscow has a chance? Russia should have the money to host it as far as I know. What do you think? Will you ask Mr. Tarpischev to try to get it and how important would it be for you to play in front of your own crowd?

KAREN KHACHANOV: Money no problem (smiling).

SHAMIL TARPISCHEV: (Through translation by Daniil Medvedev.) He said, We like Madrid very much. If not, why not?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: I can say for myself, I think there is small problem with the flag and everything, which of course we cannot push Olympic Committee to do anything about it. I think that's part of the problem. If not, I heard we have some chances. I would be really, of course, we all would be really proud to play in Russia.

Andrey didn't hear your question.

ANDREY RUBLEV: I hear.

I want to play in Russia and this will be amazing (laughter).

Q. Medvedev, how do you see the values, the traditional values, of the oldest and most massive national team sports competition in the world played out for the future of this sport, which is very dynamic?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Yeah, I think everything has to change one moment. It's tough for me to talk about all Davis Cup because I played it two times. I think I played it in Serbia. Yeah, I played it actually four times, but in the World Group we only played one time when I was in the team. So it's not easy for me to compare the emotions, the crowds, the tournament itself.

I can say that for all of us it's very important to win here. It's still Davis Cup. We still see Novak playing. Rafa won it last time. No matter the format, the best players in the world happy to represent their country.

Again, still Davis Cup 2021. We are the winners of it. That's the most important.

Q. Andrey, how was it to play with Gojo today? At some point we saw you a little bit nervous. Do you think this match was key today?

ANDREY RUBLEV: Yeah, was a really tough match. It's true that I have a lot of pressure today because looks like I should win yes or yes for the spectators the way the ranking is. But he was playing really great during all the event. He beat really great players.

Today he was playing also really great. But I was lucky enough to win the match. In the second set I was a bit showing emotions because I feel that I'm really close to win the match. Somehow he always was serving really well and really hard that I could not do anything.

But in the end I win the match and this is the most important thing. I think it's in general for Daniil and for me was the most important to try to win singles because doubles was really, really tough for us. So we were trying our best to give everything in both singles matches.

Q. Daniil, they announced today the next Davis Cup final is going to be across four cities for the group stage, they didn't say Abu Dhabi yet, but it's expected happen, for the Final. What do you make of the changes for next year going down to 16 teams, four different cities, then potentially going to Abu Dhabi?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: I think the idea itself is very good. Of course, the calendar doesn't let Davis Cup be in any other week, so that's where it's tough. That's where some top players are not going to play because it's the end of the season, somebody's burned out, somebody's injured, somebody wants to prepare well Australia, so that's not easy.

In general, the idea of having four cities in Europe, trying to get of course best countries to play there in front of their home crowd, and gather together in Abu Dhabi where I heard it's amazing stadium and amazing facilities, I like this idea.

Again, it's going to be tough for any player, especially who is in the Masters, to be able to cope up with the season.