AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 17, 2022

Denis Shapovalov

Press Conference

D. SHAPOVALOV/L. Djere

7-6, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Your reflections on a tricky opening-round match?

DENIS SHAPOVALOV: Yeah, it was definitely super tough. Just very tough to get the win against Laslo. I felt like he was definitely playing some great tennis.

Obviously a lot of ups and downs in the match. But I think I did a really good job of just fighting and staying in it, yeah, playing the big points really, really well. I'm really happy the way I was able to fight that one out today.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Sometimes athletes will say it's more satisfying to win when you don't have your best tennis. Do you feel that way? Felt like maybe not all the shots were working today.

DENIS SHAPOVALOV: Yeah, I don't think it was actually bad tennis. I think we both played at a really high level. It was tricky. I mean, I thought he really brought it today. Definitely happy to get the win. He definitely made me work for it. So I'm super happy about that.

Yeah, I do think the level was pretty high, especially at the important moments. We were playing some great tennis. We weren't really giving each other much.

Yeah, that was my feeling from the match.

Q. You talked about your coaching team wanting to bring the Rafa mentality. What do you consider the Rafa mentality to be?

DENIS SHAPOVALOV: No, it's just fighting for every point, kind of just staying in it, not letting things bother you.

I think Rafa is such a great competitor. I mean, he really makes you earn every single point against him. It's definitely something I'd like to get to. Of course, I'm never going to be Rafa, but it's nice to kind of look up to these guys and try to take things away from the best players in the world.

Q. Obviously a player that has won this tournament nine times is not in the draw anymore. How much of a bigger opportunity do you feel at this tournament or are you not focused on that at all? He was in your half of the draw.

DENIS SHAPOVALOV: Yeah, no, to be honest I'm not focused on it at all because there's so many tough players to play against. It's not like there's only one guy you can lose against. There's a lot of tricky opponents.

It was the same thing I felt like at US Open when he was out of the draw. You kind of start looking forward, feeling like the draw is open. The reality of it is that there's so many tough players. It's super tough to play against anyone.

I was having a really tough match against Laslo. There's so many great players. It's so far in the draw where I would have played him. Definitely not something I'm focused on. I'm just trying to prepare every single match, yeah, study my opponents and just try to beat the guy on the other side.

Q. You have Jamie Delgado as your main coach. Do you think you needed a new voice in your corner to bring your play to the next level?

DENIS SHAPOVALOV: Yeah, definitely just needed a little bit of a change. For sure, I mean, I wanted to take a guy like Jamie just because he's got so much experience being with Andy all these years. He's got the drive and experience to bring a player to a top level.

It's definitely been really great with him. Obviously it's very early on but I think the few things that we've implemented into the game have been great. I do feel like we understand each other really well. The whole team actually is working really, really well. Everyone's communicating.

I think he's doing a good job of implementing that and staying on top of everything. It's definitely looking good with him.

Q. Did you know Jamie before?

DENIS SHAPOVALOV: Yeah, yeah, I definitely knew him. We hadn't talked so much, maybe a little bit more after my match against Andy at Wimbledon, a couple words. It wasn't much ever.

We spoke on the phone several times when I was thinking about hiring him. Obviously we kind of had a good vibe between each other. That's how it all came into play.

Definitely got to know him a lot more since we've been working together.

Q. When did you decide to make the move?

DENIS SHAPOVALOV: It was after the season, a couple weeks after Stockholm. I talked to Mischa. It was very mutual. We still text and we continue to have a good relationship, but it just wasn't working. Both of us, we weren't achieving what we wanted to. Unfortunately that's the business of tennis sometimes. It's super tough. Just had to go a different direction.

Yeah, I mean, that was when I made that decision.

Q. The idea of building a team of people around you, it's very different in an individual sport than team sports. Is that a part of all of this that you enjoy having that control? Does it annoy you that it adds to your list of decisions to make? How do you look at that aspect of your career?

DENIS SHAPOVALOV: Yeah, I mean, look, for me personally I think it's difficult. It's super, super tough because I feel like anyone that I bring into my team, they're like family to me. It's tough that sometimes you have to think of the sport as a business and not personally. That is super, super tricky.

Like I said, me and Mischa, we get along so, so well. We've become really, really close. It was super tough to come to the decision for both of us to split. Like I said, it is a business and you have to go about it that way sometimes.

Yeah, it's definitely tougher sometimes than others. But I do enjoy putting together a team. Even though it's all me on the court, at the end of the day it's my results, there's so much going into play behind the scenes. I think it's so important that you build the right team, the people, they all get along, everyone is putting in the work.

Right now I think we're at a great place. I think every single person on my team knows their role and are contributing really, really well. Everyone is communicating. It's definitely a great spot to be.

Q. How many people are in your team, what jobs they have?

DENIS SHAPOVALOV: Right now five I believe, if I'm not missing anyone, yeah.

Q. Can you say what's five jobs are?

DENIS SHAPOVALOV: Yeah, I mean, two coaches, two physios, psychologist, yeah.