BILLIE JEAN KING CUP

November 9, 2023

Captain Kathy

Team USA

Press Conference

STEPHENS-TOWNSEND/Teichmann-Waltert

6-1, 7-6

Team USA - 3

Team Switzerland - 0

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. You must be absolutely thrilled with your girls.

CAPTAIN KATHY RINALDI: I'm so proud of the entire team. It's been a great week of training, a great week on and off the court. As you can see, they left it all out there tonight.

Danielle got us off to a super start. Sonya's match was absolutely incredible. I think she's just a true fighter, and I don't know, it was just incredible tennis from both players.

Credit to Golubic. Just really fun to watch, but even more fun to have won that (smiling). That put us in good shape, obviously. We clinched that tie. Then Sloane and Taylor went out, we went out there to take that third match and to use that for tomorrow.

Q. It's a big one tomorrow, isn't it?

CAPTAIN KATHY RINALDI: Yes.

Q. The Czechs are a tough nut to crack. But I imagine you believe you have all the quality to take the points tomorrow?

CAPTAIN KATHY RINALDI: Oh, yeah, I believe in my team. I believe in each and every one of them. Obviously they've got a lot of experience, either a Grand Slam winner or a Grand Slam finalist. Then Peyton also is just having such a great year and coming in with a lot of confidence.

Obviously Czech on paper is favored, but you know what? We're going to go out there and fight just like we did today. I've got a group of fighters. I feel pretty good. Hopefully we get some rest and come out swinging again.

Q. Danielle has already been in here tonight, as has Sofia. They both said, "We want to win for Kathy." I know you won't make it about you. It must be quite edifying to hear such nice words, consistently nice words?

CAPTAIN KATHY RINALDI: Yeah, it's heartwarming and it means everything to me. These girls really have brought a lot of joy to my life over the 15 years that I have been coaching at the USTA, and I have known them all for that long.

To see them leading the sport and, you know, been in the trenches with them through the good and the bad times, and to see them having all this success, it just is so rewarding to me on every level.

You know, their words this week mean everything to me. I'm always going to be in their corner. They can't get rid of me (smiling).