BILLIE JEAN KING CUP

November 6, 2023

Andrej Krasevec

Nina Potocnik

Kaja Juvan

Tamara Zidansek

Veronika Erjavec

Ela Nala Milic

Team Slovenia

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Welcome, Team Slovenia. Questions in English.

Q. Andrej, could you put into words exactly what it means to Slovenia to be here this week, and how excited are you for Slovenia to make their mark on the global stage?

CAPTAIN ANDREJ KRASEVEC: Okay, we are extremely happy to be here with the 12 best world teams. We hope we will do our best for tomorrow and on Friday. Our girls are preparing well, so we hope we're going to win tomorrow.

Q. Kaja, could you take me back to the qualifier against Romania? Obviously you and Tamara were there with the winning points. What were your emotions at that moment, knowing that you were going to be here? And has being here so far lived up to those expectations?

KAJA JUVAN: Yeah. I think especially because we were losing 2-0 in that particular tie, we were all a little bit, like, down in the moment. I think since the moment that Tamara sort of came back, we all had a little bit of hope to maybe, that maybe we're able to win it.

I think all the sort of events, it took a few days to finish it, and if you watched the video when we won, I think it was pretty unbelievable for both of us, especially me and Tamara. The matches were so long, so tough, and even the doubles were played on two days. I think just the whole situation made it even more special for everyone.

Q. Tamara, I imagine delivering on behalf of your nation, it gives you a huge amount of satisfaction and pride, as well?

TAMARA ZIDANSEK: Yeah, for sure. Playing for Slovenia has always been special. We don't have a lot of people, and I keep saying that, but these are the players that you see here, maybe a couple at home, but we don't have a lot of choices.

Yeah, it gives us some sort of a responsibility but also pride to play for our nation, and it's really, really special.

Q. Ela, we spoke yesterday. This could be a very special week for you, as well, to play for Slovenia. Could you put into words what that would mean to you?

ELA NALA MILIC: For this week or...

Q. Yeah, how exciting is it for you to be here this week and potentially play for Slovenia?

ELA NALA MILIC: Yeah, it's a great honor to be here. I feel proud of myself and the other girls. I was there in qualifiers week, as well. So I was cheering for them as much as I could, and I was proud also then that they made this achievement.

I think this week is, you know, an opportunity for us to show what we can do from our, like, small country, so I think it's gonna be exciting.

Q. Welcome to Seville. I hope you are enjoying the city. Obviously it's been a big, big year for Slovenia. Maybe it's a country that doesn't have that much tennis tradition compared to, for example, basketball in your country, which is pretty big. Do you feel that tennis exposure and the way tennis is treated and how kids perceive the sport has grown and has been made bigger because of your success this year? Maybe Tamara?

TAMARA ZIDANSEK: Yeah, definitely. I mean, we do have some players in the past that I grew up watching that also had great success, but now there is more and more players. Hopefully this can go on.

But, yeah, it's definitely grown. A lot of kids are playing tennis. I hope we can keep on going with this tradition in women's and men's tennis in Slovenia.

Q. A question maybe to Veronika. It's a big event. You're making it into the big stage for the first time. What kind of experience and lesson learned do you want to take out from taking part in these Finals in Seville?

VERONIKA ERJAVEC: Yeah, definitely I think this is the biggest stage I have been on and I will be on. So it's something new. It's thanks to these girls and some girls that are at home, so it's a great honor even if I wasn't a part of the team before to be here now.

So, yeah, what I want to take out is, like, definitely learn something from them and even from other teams. If I'll play, I'm going to do my best. If not, I will try to cheer them on.

Yeah, I hope we'll have a great time and to be successful.

Q. Maybe being an underdog it does take you a little bit of pressure off your shoulders. How does it feel being in that role, or do you think it could help you boost your chances towards these Finals?

KAJA JUVAN: I think that we have been underdogs many times, probably since the beginning. I think in some sort of way it can take the pressure off a little bit, but on the other hand, we never take it, like, Okay, we don't have a chance, we're underdogs.

Any teams that we have played so far, everyone was, like, Oh, it's going to be a tough one. Of course it's always tough, but you have to start with believing and then you see how it goes.