ADELAIDE INTERNATIONAL

January 15, 2022

Neal Skupski

Wesley Koolhof

Press Conference

SKUPSKI-KOOLHOF/Behar-Escobar

7-6, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Thoughts on today's match?

NEAL SKUPSKI: Yeah, I mean, it was a good match overall. It was our first time playing on center court. It was a little bit different than the outside courts. It was a little bit more blustery in there, a little bit more humid.

Overall we fought hard. We went down a break in the first set, broke back straightaway. Then in the second we went up an early break, they broke back to make it 4-All I think. But we did well to break them straight back again to go 5-4 up. Then we took the momentum going into the last game and Wesley served it out.

Yeah, very happy with today's performance.

THE MODERATOR: Two titles in a row now. A great start to the year. Tell me a bit more about that.

WESLEY KOOLHOF: Well, obviously the goal through a new partnership is to play as many matches as possible in the start of the year, especially with a Grand Slam coming up. I think we achieved that.

We played a lot of matches already, played actually a very good level. It clicked basically from the first match on. Yeah, we're very happy to have started the year undefeated basically in the first two weeks of the year. Hopefully we can carry this momentum into Australian Open.

THE MODERATOR: Australian Open next. Thoughts on that and then also plans for the season ahead?

NEAL SKUPSKI: Yeah, I mean, we go to Melbourne with a lot of confidence, especially after winning there last week. We know what the conditions are really like.

Yeah, we'll go there and give it all we got really. We'll don't want to say we want to win the whole thing, but we're just going to take one match at a time and see where it gets us. Hopefully we'll make it to the second week and then anything is possible. The draw opens up for everyone.

But, yeah, I mean, we've started well. Hopefully we can put in another good performance in Melbourne. Our confidence is high. Hopefully we can continue the rest of the year. I think one of our goals is to make the end-of-year finals. But we've started well. Hopefully we can continue.

THE MODERATOR: How has your week been here in Adelaide?

WESLEY KOOLHOF: It's been great. If you take a title home, I think the week is amazing.

Apart from that, it's been a good week. Like Neal said, we chose Melbourne in the first week just to get used to the courts, the atmosphere there. Coming here second week, a bit of a break between Melbourne and Melbourne.

But, no, enjoyed it. We chose it deliberate over Sydney, to be honest, because everything is safe nearby, walking distance, courts are covered. It's a great atmosphere. A lot of people watching. I think tennis lives here as well.

Yeah, we've been blessed to be here, to take the title home. Yeah, looking forward to Melbourne next week again.