BILLIE JEAN KING CUP

November 9, 2023

Viktorija Golubic

Team Switzerland

Press Conference

S. KENIN/V. Golubic

6-3, 6-7, 7-5

Team Switzerland - 0

Team USA - 2

THE MODERATOR: We'll start with questions, please.

Q. Commiserations on your defeat. Again, I know it's not easy just leaving the court and coming straight here, but could I have your thoughts on the match? It was very close at times. It fluctuated. Could I have your thoughts, please.

VIKTORIJA GOLUBIC: Yeah, I mean, I started off quite well, and then I kind of lost it a little bit in the first set. So she was kind of having, you know, I wouldn't say an easy 6-3, but she was kind of going with the flow.

In the second set, I felt like I was playing too much like in her rhythm. She was leading the game, and I was just kind of always, you know, trying to keep up but not quite playing my game.

So then, yeah, I was there at 2-5. You know, like, our captain, he just said, Let's try at least to make her serve for the match, and so I did a good game. Then afterwards, you know, we all know how difficult it is to finish a match on this level, so I knew I had kind of a chance there if I play well.

So I kind of, like, started changing my game a little bit, changing the rhythm more, like, keep her guessing. That's what I did really well.

I continued like this in the third set, but there it was super close. I think it was one or two balls, you know, going my way or her way that kind of decided in the end.

Q. A lot of people are talking about the USA as potential winners of this tournament, or certainly among the favorites. You have seen them up close now. How do you rate them?

VIKTORIJA GOLUBIC: Well, we had a group of three potential winners, I would say, all in one group, which is, like, tough. So I think, yeah, I think the Czech Republic, they definitely can win it with the amount of, like, world-class players they have.

There is the USA team. I mean, they also have won it, like, a lot of times. So I think, yeah, I mean, it's going to be an interesting battle for them tomorrow.

We are out, but we did the best we could. Unfortunately it didn't, you know, go our way, but I think that even my match today, also Celine and the doubles that's coming up, I think we can still build something for the future kind of for ourselves if we really, you know, still take it seriously and try to win the match.

So this is hopefully we're gonna have successful times in the future.

Q. It's been a tough week, but I imagine you're still very confident of a very bright future with this team and for this team?

VIKTORIJA GOLUBIC: Yeah, I'm really proud actually of the girls, of the staff. The way they supported me today, where, you know, it kind of wasn't even counting, like, on the paper, is, like, so touching, like, actually made me cry after the match. Wasn't even that because I lost. It was that, like, it means more to us than just, you know, some results.

I think we all, like, grow with these experiences. Now we have -- I mean, the team is still quite young, like not myself so much, but the other ones, especially, like, Celine, she's gonna have so many years to come. I hope there are more players, you know, that gonna join this team and learn from the mentality we have. I think this is a really good thing.

Q. It hasn't been your week, but it's been an absolute pleasure to watch Team Switzerland. Thank you very much.

VIKTORIJA GOLUBIC: Thank you. Thanks.