ATP CUP

December 30, 2021

Marcin Matkowski

Hubert Hurkacz

Kamil Majchrzak

Kacper Zuk

Jan Zielinski

Szymon Walkow

Team Poland

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Welcome to Team Poland. Wanted to ask Marcin how the preparation is going and how you see the first tie against Greece on Saturday.

MARCIN MATKOWSKI: We are very happy to be here again. We played two years ago our initial tournament and we have great experience and great memories from that. We played three very close matches. This year we came here with the thought of playing with better result.

Obviously we are happy about the team. The guys came on 26th, so they had already few good days of practice. Obviously it's a tough task to play against Greece, especially with Stefanos being No. 1 player, but I think our team is much better than we were two years ago. We are more experienced, and all the guys are looking forward to the match. Won't be easy, but we are confident if we are playing our best we can win this one.

Q. Hubi, obviously a couple years ago you had a few great wins at this event. Now, after this amazing year you had last year, how nice is it to be back at the ATP Cup?

HUBERT HURKACZ: Oh, definitely. I mean, it's great to be here with the whole team. I mean, it's so much fun. All of us bring I think great energy, and we will enjoy it definitely here. Hopefully we'll get many wins.

Q. A couple years ago you played doubles and singles. I'm curious, what are your memories of that experience having to play your singles match and then have a quick break, go back out? What do you remember about that?

HUBERT HURKACZ: Well, that time I was pretty bad in doubles (smiling).

MARCIN MATKOWSKI: Are you better (smiling)?

HUBERT HURKACZ: Yeah, maybe. Hopefully I improved (smiling). I won some matches. Maybe this time is gonna be better.

Q. Kamil, I know last time you were only able to play one match. How excited are you to get another chance at playing the ATP Cup for your country?

KAMIL MAJCHRZAK: I'm looking forward to help my team this year, not like I did last year. I played only one match. I'm very happy that I'm fit again and I can try to help my team and play for Poland.

Q. Kacper, when you came in, you got this great experience, you were I think 450 at the time, now almost top 150. How much did that experience help you and your career?

KACPER ZUK: It gave me lots of experience and confidence after two years ATP Cup I started to play much better, I improved a lot. And I'm happy to be here again and I will try to help to our team to play the best tennis we can play.

Q. Marcin, we've seen at ATP Cup sometimes it comes down to the doubles. As a former doubles player, how nice is it for you to see doubles get such a spotlight? Does that give you extra pride that you as a doubles guy can help your team now?

MARCIN MATKOWSKI: Well, it's great. I remember two years ago, obviously most of the matches came down to the doubles and we didn't win the first doubles.

But this year I think we bring much more experienced team. Hubert said he's playing better doubles, which obviously he is, his results show that. Besides him we have Jan and Szymon who can help us a lot in doubles. I feel very strong about doubles position.

To be honest, I'm looking for, if it's not 2-0, 1-All, we can step on the court and whoever goes on the court I think we have a very good chance of winning this tie. We are confident we can learn from our experience two years ago and obviously Hubert he was involved in doubles two years ago but him being so fit he doesn't mind, and if he has to play mixed doubles third one, I think he'll go on the court too. It's not a problem for him to play if he's needed two ties.

Q. Doubles overall, how nice is it that it is on such a stage where so many of these matches, everyone is watching the doubles?

MARCIN MATKOWSKI: Well, it's great. Obviously from experience I know in Australia and the fans here, they like doubles. They always support doubles players, they are going, and for them it's fun. Here with the ATP Cup format, doubles usually is the one, the match that decides the tie.

So besides the whole experience, it's very unique, and all the spectators, they enjoy it. I can remember from two years ago we had the great doubles matches here, and we were part of a few of them. Hopefully this year will be the same. Obviously with the COVID situation, it's tricky, but we hope to see a big crowd for all the matches, because it's a big Polish community here. I hope we can get the support, because obviously all the fans will be here in the stadium.