DAVIS CUP QUALIFIERS: USA VS COLOMBIA

March 4, 2022

Nicolas Mejia

Press Conference

S. KORDA/N. Mejia

6-4, 1-6, 6-4

USA - 1

Colombia - 0

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. I know that wasn't the final result you wanted, but talk about what happened in the match. Obviously he served so well in the opening set. You turned everything around in the second.

NICOLAS MEJIA: Yeah, I mean, I think at the beginning the match he was doing what he control really well. The serve was unbelievable. He didn't break me the second time, but when he broke me, the second time I had break points, I felt I was rushing a little bit too much.

To play him, you got to make him play a lot. You cannot make him rush even though he's going to make you feel that way. He did that really well.

Started off really well also in the second set. If he was going to keep playing that level, I think it was going to be a pretty quick second set. But in tennis, to hold that level, it's tough. Especially here in the altitude with those type of balls, I knew I just had to hang in there and I was going to have my chances.

In the first service game that he had, he didn't serve well at all. I think he double-faulted twice and didn't make a first serve. I started having openings, started having chances. I had a great comeback in the second set.

In the third set, I knew it was going to be a battle, which it was. 4-4, the nerves start getting there. He was feeling them as well. It was Love-15. Unfortunately I couldn't make him play in those points. Then the 5-4, I made three mistakes that I shouldn't have made. That's too much.

But, no, I think it's credit to him. I've had crazy battles in Davis Cup, very tough opponents, very tough matches. My time for that win will come, but I just have to keep being competitive as I am.

Q. Was the atmosphere everything you were hoping for?

NICOLAS MEJIA: It was unbelievable. I wish there could be even more people. But, I mean, the people that there were made it feel amazing.

We have dreamed a lot. I hope we play many more times. I hope I get the win. But, yeah, this was unbelievable feeling. I hope next time we play is in Colombia and is going to be a cool atmosphere.

Obviously we're different paths, different process, every single of us. But I think we're going the right way. Our level and our tennis has to speak by itself. I think we're going to have many more chances to play.

Q. In Davis Cup Colombia steps up and shows passion. Talk about that spirit.

NICOLAS MEJIA: Always the question is on two sides. I do think there's a big gap between the U.S. and Colombia. I think the U.S. is maybe the biggest country tennis-wise. Colombia, we've had unbelievable players thanks to Colsanitas. They sponsored a long time great players. We've had not too many, but the amount that we've had, it's significant for our country that is not big in tennis.

We're fortunate enough to still have sponsorships, still have companies that believe in us. I do believe in a couple years, Daniel, myself, what the doubles players have done, we're going to have a great history on tennis.

Hopefully we can do as well as the past players, like our captain, Giraldo, even Gonzalez that is right now have done. Hopefully we can match that and even better.

But I do think Colombia, we're in a process. I'm only 22 years old. Seb is the same age as me. When you're from a country like Colombia that you have to literally make your own way, it's going to take me a little bit more time to be on the top level.

But we have these chances. We have our chances week in, week out in the challenger circuit, which is very, very competitive. We just have to take advantage of that, make the most out of it day in, day out.

The second part of the question, I think we're a family in Colombia. We all support each other really well. The Davis Cup weeks are something that we're expecting and we're waiting for the whole year.

Just the fact that we get along so well doing the off-court activities makes it all amazing. To have idols like Cabal and Farah next to you cheering you on the whole time, literally talking through the whole match, laughing and everything, I just think it's amazing.

As we've said, they said I'm a member of this family. I'm very grateful for the opportunity. I'm very grateful for wearing this Colombian T-shirt.

Q. Can you remember a moment when in a practice or traveling you shared maybe someday you could play each other in Davis Cup?

NICOLAS MEJIA: So many times. We did semifinals of Wimbledon doubles in 2017. We won countless doubles tournaments in the juniors circuit. We did futures in Turkey during the quarantine period, this exhibition tournament with all the kids from IMG. We've been practicing hundreds, hundreds of times. Every time I would always be picking on him to see when this day was going to come.

Hopefully this is the first of many battles. Hopefully next time we play, we play in an ATP Tour event, whatever the future holds for us.

I think what he's done is unbelievable. I'm on my way there. I'm just very happy how things are going.

Q. Do you think Seb can be a Grand Slam champion?

NICOLAS MEJIA: Definitely, for sure.

Q. Because?

NICOLAS MEJIA: You can just see it. It's not like my word matters too much, not like I have many experience. But he has the passion to work. He has unbelievable team around him. I mean, when your dad has won Grand Slam titles, countless of Masters and ATP Tour events, he must know a thing or two that he can teach his son.

As long as he stays disciplined as he is, as long as he works really hard, anything is possible. To be a Grand Slam champion many things has to happen. Whoever puts in the work, whoever makes the sacrifice, whoever wants to get far, he can make it. But many things has to happen.

I hope the best for him. I'm pretty sure he's doing whatever he has to do to be a Grand Slam champion.