DAVIS CUP FINALS

November 21, 2023

Patrick Kaukovalta

Team Finland

Press Conference

M. RAONIC/P. Kaukovalta

6-3, 7-5

Team Canada - 1

Team Finland- 0

THE MODERATOR: Let's start the press conference. We will start with English questions.

Q. Patrick, could you just talk through the match from your perspective and in particular what it was like facing the Raonic serve? Seemed like you struggled to get a read on it really.

PATRICK KAUKOVALTA: Yeah, I have definitely never played against anyone with that kind of serve. I had no read for it at any point of the match. I was struggling to really get a grip on it (smiling).

Even the second serves was very tough to read. I tried some different things, but it seemed that every time I tried something new, then he switched it up quickly. Made my returns very difficult.

Q. Patrick, can you talk about the experience of being out there, the atmosphere, the big band of Finnish fans over there as well? Just that aspect of it. Obviously losing is disappointing, but what it felt like.

PATRICK KAUKOVALTA: Yeah, it was really surreal for me (smiling). I'm definitely not used to playing these kind of matches. It was my first singles match in Davis Cup, and probably the highest or most amount of crowd I have played for, maybe 500 people, something like that. I'm not sure.

So this was definitely a big change for me. I was definitely nervous, which I think everyone could see at some points. But yeah, as soon as I guess the match started, I was just enjoying it a lot.

Q. When did you find out you were going to be playing? What was that conversation like with Jarkko?

PATRICK KAUKOVALTA: Yesterday. It was, I mean, nothing special. Jarkko told in front of everyone that Emil is not able to play yet, and he's not in full match condition yet. So then he just told me that I was going to play. That was that.

Q. So when you were told, what was the reaction? And what's the experience of having somebody courtside that you're able to talk to on changes of ends and somebody who has had the experience of being on the tour?

PATRICK KAUKOVALTA: Yeah, Jarkko definitely does an unbelievable job of keeping us players present and supporting us there. And him being on the bench definitely helps a lot.

Yeah, I guess my first reaction was I didn't know what to think. Obviously it would be better if Emil was playing, since he's had a lot of success and experience in Davis Cup. But at the same time, I was like, Okay, well, it's pretty cool experience for me to get to play. Yeah.