DAVIS CUP FINALS

November 27, 2022

Frank Dancevic

Felix Auger-Aliassime

Denis Shapovalov

Vasek Pospisil

Gabriel Diallo

Alexis Galarneau

Team Canada

Press Conference

F. AUGER-ALIASSIME/A. de Minaur

6-3, 6-4

Team Canada - 2

Team Australia - 0

THE MODERATOR: We will start with the last press conference of the event. We have Team Canada, 2022 world champions. We will start with questions in the room.

Q. Well done. Congratulations. After having won against Italy, it was sure that you were going to win. We're done. Which was the most difficult match during this week?

CAPTAIN DANCEVIC: I think there is no easy matches, really. Every match has its own challenges in this situation, and to get this trophy, to be sitting behind this trophy, you have to overcome many obstacles. You need a really great team and a great team spirit and great players, as well, to make it happen.

I'm so proud of this team and the guys every match just to keep their spirits high and get through and win today. We faced a lot of obstacles this week. We were down many matches, but we had our spirits high and kept fighting till the end, and we are here now with the trophy. It's just an incredible feeling.

Q. Congratulations to everybody. Magnificent performance. Felix, I want to ask you, what do you think is now your gap of improvement? What do you think you can still improve as a tennis player not just on court but also outside the court?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: I mean, many things. I'm not in the position at my age and my level where I'm thinking about what could I improve. We just saw Novak here. He's been trying to improve still today, and he has won everything the sport has. They've all done it. These guys are models. And same for me and all these guys here, I think we just want to always improve and be better. That's how it goes for me.

But right now, I'm not going to think about what I can improve, to be honest (smiling). I will leave that for next year. Right now I'm just -- however I played, honestly, if we win and I put the ball like this, it's okay. Underarm serve (smiling).

No, but seriously, right now you're just happy to win it. Doesn't matter how.

Q. Felix, when that last point was done and you collapsed onto the court and the rest of the team piled on top of you, are you able to put into words, are you able to describe what that feeling was like, what was going through you at that moment?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: Well, yeah. I saw the opening. I thought, This is it. I'm going for it. That's it. I saw the open court. I said, All right. Just hit it.

After, like, seeing the ball in the air, I was, like, No, this is going out. My legs just dropped on me. I was just -- my leg just collapsed. To have Frank and everybody rush me, screaming, like, it was amazing. Yeah, it really is special, special moments.

You play many matches throughout the years, but days like today you remember for a long time. So it's going to be special.

Q. Felix, could I just ask a little bit about de Minaur today? He wears his heart on his sleeve. He's very emotional about the Davis Cup. Do you think that he can still be, for the Aussies, he can be the spearhead who might take them to the trophy one day? I know that's his dream.

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: For sure, for sure. Look, he's led this team to the finals now. He's always played well in team events. Again today he's one of the toughest guys to get past through on the court. He's really fast.

Look, even at the end, he made it tough for me. In the second set, I was up a break but getting a lot of breakpoints, getting chances even in the last game.

Yeah, he's a tough competitor, even more in these competitions. I'm sure he will try to lead his team to the victory. But there are many tough teams. We played Italy yesterday. They are going to have a really tough team in the future like many others. Hopefully we're there, we are there every year and we are contenders to win it.

Q. First of all, congrats to everybody. I have got a question for Denis. In my opinion, you played extremely well yesterday and today. If you can sustain this level through the year, I think it can get you to a top-10 spot. Do you agree with this statement? And also, do you plan to expand your coaching staff for 2023? To my knowledge, your only coach is Peter right now.

DENIS SHAPOVALOV: Yeah, I mean, definitely I have made a lot of progress this year, especially since like Cincinnati, US Open. Everything has been clicking for me, and I have been able to consistently play better.

Even the losses I have had have been good losses and almost every match that I have played. It's a good sign going into the next year, for sure. I think there is a lot of things where I can work to become more consistent. I think that's the big goal.

I think everyone knows I can play a big game, but to be a top player you need to have that consistency. That's just it. Yeah, I'm not going to make any changes to my coaching staff or my team. I think Peter has done an amazing job with me. I think he's a super-smart coach. He sees the game very well and he sees my game extremely well.

We have done really well together. I obviously want to keep that going. I don't think adding someone is going to benefit so much at this point. I think I need to work on my things, work on becoming more consistent, and implementing the level I have been able to bring out the last, let's say, two months. Hopefully from there we can look forward.

Q. Felix and Denis, I know you guys won Junior Davis Cup together seven years ago, and I'd just like to get your opinions on how this feeling compares to today.

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: Yeah, I mean, it's much bigger, of course. But at the time, you know, we were kids. It was like a dream also. I remember like we were just, like, We won it. Felt like it was the real one.

I remember, yeah, it was the first one in any, like, Davis Cup junior or normal one. But I remember us thinking, like, yeah, we are 15, 16, and, like, we just won Junior Davis Cup, projecting ourselves winning this one day.

It's cool to be in this position now, and it's kind of full circle. Vasek has been part of Davis Cup for many years, won many matches. I remember as a kid watching him play. Won a lot of clutch matches. Then to have all the rest of young guys coming up and playing well. It's a special team. Hopefully, you know, we are able to bring this very far, you know, this generation.

Q. Congrats, guys. How are you going to celebrate this now?

CAPTAIN DANCEVIC: We haven't thought about that yet, but I can assure you it's going to be a really big one and we are definitely not going to sleep until the flight at 6:00 a.m. We are definitely taking it all night somewhere.

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: All-nighter, baby.

Q. Vasek, congratulations. You weren't needed today. You had a couple of vital victories. You have been involved with the team for many years. Can you sum up what this means to you today?

VASEK POSPISIL: Yeah, it's incredible. I mean, definitely top career achievements to win Davis Cup. I think it just means so much more to -- I mean, it's Davis Cup. You're playing for your country. Also, your teammates. Every match if you're on the court, there is so much more on the line. It feels so much more important than -- I don't know how else to put it.

But yeah, I mean, over the years we have just slowly been growing closer and closer to getting the title. 2013 we had, it was kind of a first time we had a bit of a run and made semis. Then been in World Group for a while and made finals 2019.

Yeah, it kind of felt like, I don't know, it's hard to explain, but beginning of the week it kind of felt like we were going to win it. I don't know. Just kind of this feeling that I had. Maybe some of the other guys had too, I don't know. The vision.

Yeah, incredible. Yeah, what a way to end the year. Yeah, not much more to say. It's Davis Cup and we are the champions, world champions.

Q. Congratulations, guys. A question for Vasek. Novak Djokovic was here today. Do you speak with him?

VASEK POSPISIL: Yes, yeah. Yeah, I spoke with him. He messaged me that he was coming. Then he messaged me he was running a bit late, he wasn't going to see me before the match. I was like, Okay, cool.

Yeah, I ended up not needing to play. It was really cool for him to be there. He came and congratulated all of us afterwards, which is really cool. He's also obviously someone that knows what it's like to win Davis Cup. It was cool to see him here.

I think he's laughing how long my answers are. I had a couple of beers.

DENIS SHAPOVALOV: No, no. It's the guy beside you.

VASEK POSPISIL: He's laughing at him. That's good.

THE MODERATOR: We are now going with a question of a fan who won a contest.

Q. Congratulations to everybody. My question to Denis is in addition to the victory in the final, what other moment of the competition will you remember?

DENIS SHAPOVALOV: Besides what?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: Besides the win today.

Q. Besides winning the competition, what will you remember?

DENIS SHAPOVALOV: So many moments. I think the doubles with Vasek in the first, quarterfinals against Germany, was massive. Going against an undefeated team, coming back from a set down. We just like completely lit it up. It was crazy. It was crazy.

We couldn't miss a ball for a while there. That was like a special -- it was an out-of-body experience there. It was crazy.

Obviously the same with Felix and Vasek's yesterday. It was such a tough team to go against, Berrettini and Fognini. They have had so much success. The way these guys played, it was amazing to watch. They left it all out there. I mean, there was just too many great moments.

I think the whole team on the side, Frankie, like everyone just putting their heart on the line day in and day out. It was really special.

THE MODERATOR: We will open now to media attending from Canada.

Q. Hey, guys. Two questions. First of all, Allez, Let's Go.

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: Let's go. Come on, man.

Q. First is for Gabe and Alexis. How does it feel to be the good luck charms? I want to hear you guys talk. How does it feel to be the good luck charms joining this year? What was it like to be cheering this amazing victory on?

ALEXIS GALARNEAU: I'm going to try to speak. (Laughter.) I think you have your answer. I think you have your answer right here.

You leave it all out there, the voice, and just proud to be a part of this team. World champions and don't have a voice anymore. I will take a... I tried.

GABRIEL DIALLO: Well, I think like Alexis said, we left it all on the bench. We have no more voice. We left it all on the bench.

No, just obviously super grateful to be a part of this team. We are so proud of Vasek, Felix, and Denis, leaving their heart on the court, and the way they competed was just absolutely inspirational.

Q. First question, Denis and Felix, where do you plan to play before the Australian Open? Felix, you played two matches yesterday. Alex rested. How much of a sense of urgency did you feel to get ahead of him today and not take a chance that you'd get drawn into a long, drawn-out match?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: Look, I felt good. I talked about it yesterday a little bit. You're playing for the country, playing for the team.

I felt good physically. It's not like I'm injured or anything. In terms of being tired, I can be tired tomorrow but not today. I just have to...

VASEK POSPISIL: And not tonight.

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: Not tonight. Tomorrow definitely on the plane I will be sleeping quite a lot.

For today, I was ready for everything. Of course it's better to win in straight sets the way I did, but you have to be ready for any type of challenge. You have to be ready to go down and fight, to take the lead and to keep it.

Yeah, I was ready for everything. Then you asked about Australian Open, I think? Well, I haven't made exactly my schedule yet. It's been, like you said, a long fall, a lot of matches. I will just take the rest I need now and look forward to next year.

Q. Frank, if you had to pick one guy on the team, who's going to go the hardest tonight? Are you going to show them how it's done as the veteran?

CAPTAIN DANCEVIC: I'm definitely going to go hard. I don't know who is going to follow me? But I think it's going to be a team effort. We are going to all the way through, team effort, going super hard.

We got those big Champagne bottles on court? We're planning to get even bigger ones tonight.

VASEK POSPISIL: We are going to be carrying somebody home as a team. (Laughter.)

(Applause.)