ATP CUP

January 3, 2022

Diego Schwartzman

Federico Delbonis

Team Argentina

Press Conference

Team Argentina - 2

Team Greece - 0

THE MODERATOR: Well done, Team Argentina. How satisfied are you with the two singles wins that puts you in a winner-take-all tie against Poland on Wednesday.

FEDERICO DELBONIS: Of course we are very happy. I think both we played good matches, especially Diego. I think he was unbelievable today, and I have to congrats him. I think was a big, big match.

For me, I think I do the job and I took a bit less of pressure to Diego to take this match against Stefanos.

DIEGO SCHWARTZMAN: Yeah, and I think Federico gave me the confidence to be in the match 1-0 up and I think it's always very, very important for us. He did the same the previous match, and this match. It was not easy, because Pervolarakis, he was playing very good the first set. It was tough. You never know what happen with these guys.

And then I was trying to fight, and I think I played a great match, but we need always the two wins. Now the guys are playing doubles. So we have to be ready for the next match, winning all the matches that we can do.

Q. Diego, do you think you played even better than you did in your first match tonight against Stefanos?

DIEGO SCHWARTZMAN: If I played better today?

Q. Yeah.

DIEGO SCHWARTZMAN: Well, I think so, because the first match is difficult, you know, to analyze very well. I think Nikoloz, he just arrived, you know, two days before the match, first match of the year. I was solid in the match, but I think at the end he give me too many errors and I took it obviously.

I did a great win the first match, give me confidence coming to this one, and today it was a different match, three hours' match. The other one was one-hour match, difficult to compare but I'm very happy because I did two great matches.

Q. Stefanos spoke about his elbow affecting his serve, but in terms of just his weight of shot on his forehand and backhand, did you feel he was hitting a strong ball like normal?

DIEGO SCHWARTZMAN: I think he was hitting normal, but the last match he played was two months ago. Always the first match you make few more mistakes. Happen the same with Federico in the doubles, for me, every single guy are making mistakes.

I think he was hitting hard. I mean, the serve was 210, 208 every time. But obviously sometimes in the first matches of the year, we make few more mistakes than if you compare to the next matches.

Q. Federico, you touched on this in your first answer, but can you just go over what you were most pleased about with your own game tonight.

FEDERICO DELBONIS: Well, I think I have been consistent all the match. I been in the important moments there, taking some pressure less and giving some pressure to Pervolarakis. Was a guy that in the beginning that surprise me what he was playing, because he played fast, he tried to go in every shot that he could to the net.

But I think when I won that first set that it was not very easy. I think I get more confident, and then he feel a bit the first set and was a bit tired to go to that second set.