BILLIE JEAN KING CUP

November 7, 2023

Marie Bouzkova

Team Czechia

Press Conference

M. BOUZKOVA/V. Golubic

6-4, 6-4

Team Czechia - 2

Team Switzerland - 0

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Many congratulations. I imagine you must be very pleased and proud to have won on behalf of your nation on your Billie Jean King Cup debut. How are you feeling?

MARIE BOUZKOVA: Yeah, for sure. It feels really special, and yeah, extra happy that I could get the win. Linda had to fight really hard to get us the first point, so I just tried to do the same, fight as much as I can and get the second point, get a win for this tie. Just for myself, really happy to start my debut, playing for my country with a win.

Q. What were your emotions when you were told that you were going to play today?

MARIE BOUZKOVA: Oh, I was really excited. I found out last night. I was really excited, but at the same time, I was, like, okay, I'm feeling well. I will just try to keep as calm as I can. Obviously for a big occasion like that, it's not easy.

I think, like, especially at the beginning of the match, I was a little bit more nervous than usual, but I would say this is, like, one of the nicest wins of my career so far.

Q. Your emotions when you got the winning point, what were they?

MARIE BOUZKOVA: After the match point?

Q. Yeah.

MARIE BOUZKOVA: Well, just pure joy, I would say, just looking at the team, seeing how everyone, how happy they are that we get the win (smiling).

Yeah, just really proud of myself as well that I could come back and play really well, I think, and play a great match. Just, yeah, just super happy.

Q. Obviously two debutantes got the points today. I guess it shows the strength of Czech tennis, the two players who may have played, may not have played in different circumstances, but the strength for two debutantes to get those points is quite something.

MARIE BOUZKOVA: Yeah, well, we kind of went through the same thing today with Linda. She also, it was her debut. Yeah, you know, I think we did really well as a team, just kind of keep the atmosphere really loose before the match, and then everyone was cheering, supporting. Obviously captain doing a great job there on every changeover, just talking to us and just, you know, just making sure we feel comfortable. I, for myself, felt really comfortable, and for sure helped me today.

Q. Congrats on the win. Just on the point of I guess your team has had maybe more disruptions in the buildup to this tie. Does it make it more sweet winning it, because you overcame all of that, and now you can go forward in this week with even more confidence?

MARIE BOUZKOVA: I think so, because we came here with Linda on Friday. It was just the two of us. Then Marketa joined us day before yesterday. Girls came, flew here last night and just went straight to gym at 8:00 p.m.

Yeah, it was, for sure, just a different scenario, I would say. I didn't get to play so many ties before, so I'm obviously not so experienced, but from what captain told us and everyone, the team, it's something that doesn't happen every time. So I'm really happy with how we handled everything.