DAVIS CUP FINALS

September 13, 2022

Botic Van De Zandschulp

Team The Netherlands

Press Conference

B. VAN de ZANDSCHULP/A. Bublik

3-6, 6-1, 6-4

The Netherlands - 2

Kazakhstan - 0

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Could you give us your sense of how that match went.

BOTIC VAN de ZANDSCHULP: He started really well. Served well in the first. Served a lot of first serves. Yeah, was a little bit sloppy with the serve in the first. Didn't make a lot of firsts. Yeah, he broke me once. Set was over, I think.

From second set on, I started to serve better, returning well, playing some good level in the rallies.

I think overall it was a high-quality match. Yeah, happy I got the win in three.

Q. The start of the third set, he gets angry, but comes back with a break. Is that a worrying sign with him if he's managing to channel that anger?

BOTIC VAN de ZANDSCHULP: Yeah, of course it's always tricky to play him. He's serving well. He's serving big. Playing a lot of variety in the shots. Playing dropshots, underhand serve.

Yeah, you never know with him. Especially when he gets angry, it's tough to play him.

Yeah, I think I played a good game on 1-0. He broke me back. Yeah, it's not really I thought after he broke his racquet that the match was finished or something. In Davis Cup, he's always there and he's always trying to win.

Yeah, I think it wasn't different today.

Q. Now that you and Tallon have the singles wins, you have this win against Kazakhstan, can you say this is the must-win this week, then start looking beyond?

BOTIC VAN de ZANDSCHULP: Yeah, for sure. If you want to make a chance to be one or two in the group, yeah, you have to win against Kazakhstan. If we can win 3-0 against Kazakhstan, we have a really good start here, we can maybe go to Malaga.

Q. Do you feel the surface was particularly slow? Do you feel like that suits your game in particular?

BOTIC VAN de ZANDSCHULP: Yeah, it's a little bit slower than other surfaces. Also with the balls, the balls get really heavy.

I think I returned really well. I was there most of the times. Still he served 220 sometimes. Yeah, I was pretty happy I got some serves back. Maybe it says something about the surface, but it also said something about how well I was returning I think.

Q. Over the last two years you've been very versatile in all surfaces. Do slower conditions suit your game, if you have a favorite surface?

BOTIC VAN de ZANDSCHULP: Still figuring it out (smiling).

I don't know. I like to play on hard. Hard indoor as well. Hard outdoor. I like clay as well. Grass is sometimes a little bit love and hate.

Yeah, I don't know. I like these conditions. I think almost all the indoor tournaments are a little bit the same, a little bit slower conditions these days.