ATP CUP

January 4, 2022

Felix Auger-Aliassime

Denis Shapovalov

Team Canada

Press Conference

AUGERALIASSIME-SHAPOVALOV/Murray-Salisbury

6-4, 6-1

Team Canada - 2

Team Great Britain - 1

THE MODERATOR: We have Team Canada. Guys, you must be really pumped up after that great doubles win tonight against GB.

DENIS SHAPOVALOV: Thanks. I mean, obviously it was very inspiring watching Felix play the singles. You know, I think he played just unbelievable today. It was fun to watch, and it gave me and I think the whole team a little bit of, you know, belief and inspiration and just confidence. You know, it was fun to be out on the doubles court. As well, I think we both played really, really well.

I think, you know, it was a great day.

Q. (Question off microphone.)

DENIS SHAPOVALOV: Yeah, for sure. It's always just remarkable to see how far we have gone together, you know, playing from like regroupings when we were like eight years old to playing in the juniors, playing in the pros, and now all the way up playing in one of the greatest tournaments in the world, you know, taking doubles guys out.

I mean, obviously we have played doubles together before, but it's not like we focus on it so much. So, you know, it just shows, you know, it shows our level and of course it's just a great win today. Obviously you don't beat guys like that without your A game.

I'm just super happy, and obviously, I mean, it's more credits to Felix. He had an unbelievable day. He took out a really tough player in singles. Came out in the doubles just on fire. Lifted my energy and my level up, as well. So, you know, I think it was just great from Felix.

Q. Felix, can you talk about the pressure of having to come out and win? It was win or the team was done. Then also, once you got that great win, how the psychology might have changed with having to move to the doubles.

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: Yeah, I mean, as a team we always want to win every match. But then when it comes down to your match, I guess you try to do your best, whatever the outcome is, or whatever the situation is.

You know, when it came to my match, I just really had to focus. I wanted to win that match regardless, but of course it was extra motivation to know that, okay, let's give it all, because if not, we won't have a chance to play besides the doubles. When we got that chance, I was like, now, this is it. There is one more effort, one more push to give today, and I think we did, you know, we did it brilliantly.

Honestly, we were hitting the ball very clean. Coming off fast and strong from our racquets. I think we couldn't have played much better, to be honest. I'm super happy with our performance, our team on the bench. Everybody's effort today was great.

Q. We now have four teams that all have 1-1 records in the group, chasing semifinal spots. Can you talk about the excitement and the drama we've got going on in Group C.

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: Yeah, it's a tough group. I think, with Russia, as well, I think it's one of the toughest group. Every tie is difficult. It was a bummer that we went down 3-Love against the U.S. We would be in the better position if we got one, but now we can look forward to in two days playing Germany, great team, great overall team.

But, you know, Denis and I have played these guys before. We have won before. So we can definitely win. Yeah, we can definitely, if we play again like we did today in the doubles and if we play our best tennis, we have our chances.

Q. Final question to Denis, how did you pull up physically after doing double duty?

DENIS SHAPOVALOV: Yeah, I mean, physically I felt fine. Definitely the rhythm and just playing my first match, I mean, didn't feel great out there. Haven't played a full set, so it was difficult just to feel the nerves and the pressure and making a couple of mistakes, you know, that I wouldn't want to make. Was struggling in a couple of things. But, you know, again, I'm not trying to take away from Dan. He played perfect. He played the way he needed to. But I was just upset with myself that I wasn't able to give a better effort.

But I just think it's playing matches, spending more time on the court, and, you know, with the doubles it showed that. I felt like my level got better as the match went on. You know, I started to find a lot of returns, serving much better in the second set. And, yeah, I mean, after two matches I feel physically good, you know, so that's a good sign. And the rest, I think it will come.

I think the physicality, you know, obviously I'm a pretty physical player out there. I need to be a little bit more moving better maybe in the singles, so that was a little bit lacking, but I'm sure it will come. I still have some time to prepare for the next match coming up, and I have some time to prepare for Melbourne. So, you know, hopefully I think the next game will definitely be better.