DAVIS CUP FINALS

November 24, 2022

Felix Auger-Aliassime

Team Canada

Press Conference

F. AUGER-ALIASSIME/O. Otte

7-6, 6-4

Team Germany - 1

Team Canada - 1

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. Felix, coming straight off the ATP Finals, how did you feel getting back into a team environment and playing here?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: It always feels good. These are the weeks, some of the weeks I look forward to during the year, to get with the group of guys and play together, spending a lot of time, also dinners and team rooms and all that.

I'm very close with the guys also on the team. Kind of grew up with a lot of these guys. It's really fun, yeah, to not only be playing tennis and trying to win but to be among friends.

Q. You can't discount any player these days, but did you expect it to be as tight as it was on occasions in this match?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: We played not long ago in similar conditions in Florence. I won two good sets. I lost one tiebreak.

So, yeah, I did expect that he can serve well. It's indoors, so, you know, anybody's kind of dangerous when they are serving well. From my part, I was struggling to put enough returns.

I felt like when the ball was in play and I was able to construct the rallies, I was winning more rallies than he did. Yeah, I think any player now, I mean, he's in the top, I don't know, 50 or something like that, so any player of that ranking can be dangerous on a given day.

I had to be careful and I had to stay sharp.

Q. Well done. Were you surprised that the Italian Team B, without Berrettini and Sinner, won versus United States A? And what did you surprise you the most of this match and both results? And also, in case Canada wins this doubles, what do you expect between Canada and Italy B to happen? Are you thinking that you played four times versus Musetti, I think, 2-All. Sonego played once versus Shapovalov and lost in three sets in Rome.

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: I mean, let's see. It's difficult doubles to win, first. Need to start by that. But in terms of their tie today, well, if you take match by match, yeah, Sonego playing Tiafoe, it's kind of even. Tiafoe is better on paper, but we know how good Lorenzo can play.

I didn't see the match, but I feel like, yeah, anything can happen. Lorenzo can win.

It's not an easy challenge for Musetti to beat Fritz indoors. He's been playing so well. I saw it was a tight first set, but, I mean, I guess, yeah, it's tough to beat Taylor these days.

And the doubles, yeah, I mean, we know how good they can play, these two guys together. So again, for me it was kind of even. It was 50/50. I felt like they played a better match. They were a better team. The U.S. didn't play as good.

Yeah, I feel like the Italians deserved to win. At the end of the day, they were the better team and it's good they have a lot of players, not only two or three, that they can count on.

So if we play them, it's a big challenge. Every time I play, for me, Musetti is a tough guy to beat. I feel like he's going to be a great player in the next few years. Same thing for Sonego.

Q. I want to know how you prepare yourself mentally to these occasions, especially with this Davis Cup, which is a little bit different. You're playing as a team, not just you. How important is for you, and if you find any improvement during the last month or in the last years in mental preparation for these games?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: Yeah, I try to approach these moments with a lot of determination and confidence as much as I can. Of course that's easier these days. I have been winning a lot of matches.

But even then I feel like when I come on the court to play for our team or to play for my country, I just really lock in on the moment, and I prepare myself to give everything, to not be down on myself.

Of course it helps to have the team keeping you positive, and that's all I do. I try to just give my absolute best effort. I try to do that all the year but even more on these occasions, because I know that I have a team relying on me to try and win.

Q. Do you feel nerves?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: A little bit sometimes, but I've gotten better and better at dealing with that. At the end when I get the right support from the team, it puts less pressure on me.

I feel like I'm on the court, but I feel like we are all together in this. I feel like, yeah, they just want me to try my best, try to stay positive, and I don't try to let the nerves come into my body too much.