BILLIE JEAN KING CUP

November 7, 2023

Celine Naef

Team Switzerland

Press Conference

L. NOSKOVA/C. Naef

7-6, 4-6, 6-4

Team Czechia - 1

Team Switzerland - 0

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Commiserations on your defeat. You seemed to play some really good tennis in that match. You just seemed to drift away at the end. What are your reflections?

CELINE NAEF: Yeah, I mean, for sure I don't like to lose (smiling). I'm a bit sad, but at the same time it was a magic moment.

I think I played very well, and the team was behind me. It was amazing atmosphere. I think I can be proud.

Q. Magic moment, you said it there. Can you just say how proud you are to have made your Billie Jean King Cup debut? Represented Switzerland. The badge is on your chest. How proud are you of tonight?

CELINE NAEF: Yeah, I mean, of course for me it means a lot. I gave all my heart out, I gave everything out there, and yeah, I mean, now we will fight. I fighted in my match, and we will fight in the next.

Yeah, it means a lot.

Q. Can you tell us something more about yourself, when you decided to become a professional, if there are some tennis player that inspired you?

CELINE NAEF: Yeah. My mom was a tennis teacher, and when I was young she took me to the court. I played a little bit, but I also did a lot of other sports.

Yeah, I don't know at what time, but once I said, Okay, I choose tennis, and then my family was behind me and pushed me and helped me a lot.

Yeah, it was my decision to start to play more tennis, but I did a lot of other things, and yeah.

Q. Going back to the match, in the last games of the match, you lost the service game a couple of times. Something happened about your game or the atmosphere changed for you a little bit?

CELINE NAEF: I think it was very good experience for me. I need these experiences. I think I can learn a lot from this match.

I played good level. Yeah, I mean, tennis is very mental. But I can trust in myself that I will made it one day.

Q. Could you just give an idea of what it's like for an 18-year-old to be in this environment with the Swiss team? Belinda Bencic is here, Olympic gold medalist, other excellent players on the Swiss team. What's it like for you to be in this environment and the advice and everything that you're receiving?

CELINE NAEF: Yeah, for me it was always a dream to be once in this team. I'm so happy that the team, they are so kind. It feels like a little family.

Yeah, it's very special.