UNITED CUP

December 30, 2023

Colin Beecher

Cameron Norrie

Katie Boulter

Neal Skupski

Team Great Britain

Press Conference

HUNTER-EBDEN/Skupski-Boulter

6-3, 7-6

Team Great Britain - 2

Team Australia - 1

THE MODERATOR: We can start with the first question.

Q. Cam, what is it with you and Alex with this event? Twice in a row now.

CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, I guess it's the same with the States as well. We play them every year.

With Alex, we played in the first match of the year last year. Yeah, I don't know. I don't know what it is. It was a good match, physical match. It was a long day. We're all pretty tired already now. It's a good debut from Beechy. Yeah, enjoyed the day so far. Good to get it going with a win.

Q. Katie, how much pressure did that take off you going in against Ajla to have the team up 1-Love?

KATIE BOULTER: Yeah, I mean, it's always nice to play 1-0. Noz always does a great job of doing that. Yeah, it was nice to go out and have a free swing. I felt like I played some really good stuff today. Didn't stress too much. Yeah it was down to Noz, yeah.

Q. Ajla was saying that you were playing 'lights out' tennis tonight. How did you feel?

KATIE BOULTER: I mean, not in the mixed. In singles I thought I played pretty good.

I came out, I kind of had one goal, that was to bring my full intensity from get-go until the end. I felt like I did that really, really well. I brought what I've been doing on the practice court onto the match court. I couldn't be happier with a great start.

Q. Colin, your comments on tonight, the tie?

CAPTAIN COLIN BEECHER: Obviously, extremely proud of both of them. They both played great matches. Obviously Cam and Bolts I have spent a decent amount of time with, recently with Cam at Davis Cup, then Bolts back in London. I've seen the work that they've been putting in, what they're trying to do with their games.

Tonight both of them performed brilliantly.

Q. Neal, the experience for you? Not often you get to play mixed doubles other than the majors.

NEAL SKUPSKI: Yeah, I mean, even though we lost tonight, I really enjoyed it. Katie has been a bit hard on herself saying about her performance in the mixed. She didn't get broke. I got broke twice. I don't know what she's on about (smiling).

These two, they put in a great performance today. We got the win. We go again in two days now against the USA.

Q. Katie and Cam, at the start, the crowd was amazing. What were your thoughts on the atmosphere tonight?

CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, the atmosphere was great. Obviously we're expecting that, playing Australia. Yeah, especially when Alex started coming back in the second set, had the momentum, they were definitely getting behind him. There were a few comments here and there between kind of serves, before serves. I think it's normal.

I really enjoyed it, embraced it. I'm not sure it's going to be the same against the States at 10 a.m., but we'll see. It was good to start with that match, for sure.

KATIE BOULTER: Yeah, I mean, Noz pretty much covered it. It was a really good atmosphere. It's obviously really fun to play like that in front of a lot of people. I haven't had that much experience of crowds full against me. I played a lot at home where they're going for me.

It was great for me to go out there and enjoy playing. Yeah, it was a really good atmosphere.

Q. Looking ahead to the match against USA, thoughts on that?

KATIE BOULTER: Yeah, I'm really looking forward to it. It's a great opportunity for me to play a top, top player. These are the matches that I live for where I can test my skills against the best. She really is one of those. Yeah, I think it's going to be a battle, but I'm really excited for it.

CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, looking forward to tomorrow, practicing a few things, just enjoying the win tomorrow a little bit.

Looking at playing Taylor Fritz, I played him more than anyone else on tour. We both know each other's games really well. Yeah, another opportunity against a top player. It's another tough challenge. Obviously they have good depth in their team.

Q. Neal, mixed doubles, Taylor and Jess?

NEAL SKUPSKI: Yeah, they're a good team, defending champions. They can go with a few different options. I guess we'll have to wait and see. I'm sure Jess and Taylor will be a good team, whoever we play, up against them.

Yeah, I'll go back to the practice court tomorrow, get ready. Yeah, we'll see what happens on Sunday, yeah.