DAVIS CUP FINALS

November 25, 2022

Alex De Minaur

Team Australia

Press Conference

A. de MINAUR/CILIC

6-2, 6-2

Team Croatia - 1

Team Australia - 1

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Alex, how did you feel going into that match? The pressure was on you. It was do or die.

ALEX de MINAUR: Yeah. I have had a couple instances when I have, you know, been in this position and I feel like my back's against the wall, and there is only one way to break through, and that's going forward full steam ahead and just going after every single point.

You know, I knew what my job was. My job was to keep us alive, and happy to do anything I can for my country.

Q. How impressed were you with the way you played? Because the head-to-head between you and Marin is 2-All. It's the first time you have won in straight sets. All the others have been cliffhangers.

ALEX de MINAUR: Yeah, he's given me my one loss in the past, I don't know, I think it's 11 matches in Davis Cup, and I had that in the back of my mind. I wanted my revenge.

I went out there to accomplish a mission, and I played some great tennis and gave my team and my country a fighting chance.

Q. Congrats on the win. I wanted to ask you in this specific case, you were talking about Marin was the only player to beat you in Davis Cup playing singles. How did you prepare to that revenge? And how do you see the doubles do to decide the tie?

ALEX de MINAUR: Yeah, I know Marin. He's a hell of a competitor, a veteran player of our sport that has accomplished amazing things. I knew what to expect, so I knew it was never going to be easy.

I knew I had to bring all the intensity I could, be as solid as I could, and try to be, you know, solid but aggressive at the same time.

I had my game plan. I played well. Now we've got the doubles. I feel like the Croats, they have got everything to lose. They are one of the best doubles players in the world. Us Aussies, we've got nothing but to win, you know.

I have got an immense amount of belief in my teammates, and I know they will do everything they can in their power to get a win for Australia. This is what this team is all about, just that "never say die" attitude.

Q. 44 minutes was the official stat on the time of the match. Is that one of the quickest matches that you can remember ever playing?

ALEX de MINAUR: What?

Q. The stats that came through are showing 44 minutes.

ALEX de MINAUR: No. No, I don't think it was.

Q. That was on the Davis Cup app.

ALEX de MINAUR: Yeah, no, I think it was longer than that. But, yeah, I just played some great tennis. You know, there was actually a lot of long games, deuce/ad, deuce/ad.

I did very well to keep my composure even though I wasn't getting those breakpoints. He fought off a lot of breakpoints. I kept telling myself that I was in every one of his service games and that ultimately if I kept doing what I was doing that it was going to come my way.

Q. Of all of your Davis Cup wins in this great sequence, is that the most immaculate you played? I think you only made three errors in the whole of that first set. Is it your best performance?

ALEX de MINAUR: I think score-wise and situation, it probably is, but I feel like I have had a couple big moments where I have been with my back against the wall and, you know, I just love being in that situation. It means there is everything to play for, and I'm going to do everything in my power to keep us in it.

I know my role. My role is to be tough as nails and be that guy that's just hopefully going to be getting those tough wins. You know, I have been doing that well for a while, so very happy with that. Very proud of myself.

Q. On that, would you prefer those sort of games where you're pretty much dominant from that first 10-minute game rather than all of the incredible dramas that you had the other day, so winning nice and straight?

ALEX de MINAUR: 100%, any day of the week. I mean, it's cool and all to have absolute three-set battles, drama, three-plus hours, but give me a 6-Love, 6-Love any day of the week. That means I can rest, recover, and the body doesn't suffer, the body and mind doesn't suffer as much.

Now on to the doubles, and hopefully the boys can bring it home.