DAVIS CUP FIRST ROUND

February 7, 2006

Victor Hanescu

JEFF HECKELMAN: Welcome, everyone. We'll start the press conference.

CAPTAIN FLORIN SEGARCEANU: In a Davis Cup tie, you always expect to win. Of course, you guys having the first chance, you have a better team in this moment. You know, in Davis Cup you always get some surprises, like the one you had last year with Croatia. You know, thinking that we are also a Balkanic country, maybe we can follow those guys.

CAPTAIN FLORIN SEGARCEANU: Yeah, I've seen a lot of Davis Cup matches. I saw these guys playing many times. So I think we have the quality of playing very good Davis Cup matches. So I'm really -- I really think our team has a chance in this tie.

CAPTAIN FLORIN SEGARCEANU: I don't have to designate. It counts because of the rankings.

CAPTAIN SEGARCEANU: Right.

CAPTAIN SEGARCEANU: Right.

CAPTAIN FLORIN SEGARCEANU: Well, first of all, we don't know if Andrei is playing the first match on the first day. They going to draw the thing. For sure, he's going to play Roddick, but we don't know if it's first match or second a match.

CAPTAIN FLORIN SEGARCEANU: Actually, my hope is to be the first match, for Andrei to win against Roddick.

ANDREI PAVEL: Well, my hope is to win. If I play first or second, it doesn't matter. I'm looking for the win. It doesn't matter if I'm play first or second. Is always great to start when your country is leading 1-0. But you never know who is going to start the match.

ANDREI PAVEL: That would be nice. Always Davis Cup, each tournament, you play high-standard tennis, you always have to win those big matches.

ANDREI PAVEL: I think I played him three years ago in Rome. I lost to him. The match was three sets.

ANDREI PAVEL: Well, I don't know. I haven't played him -- I mean, he's one of the top three guys in the world. I have to have a really very good day to beat him. I hope that's going to be in this weekend.

VICTOR HANESCU: Yes.

VICTOR HANESCU: I lost in three sets. I'm looking forward now. Maybe I learn something from that match. Now I be prepared.

VICTOR HANESCU: No (laughter).

VICTOR HANESCU: Yes, of course.

VICTOR HANESCU: It's a normal court like in States, like in US Open, New Haven. Normal for me. Nothing special.

CAPTAIN SEGARCEANU: Actually, we decide after the first day. We have still combinations. We'll see how it's going to go after the first two singles match.

ANDREI PAVEL: You put the question, it's pretty is pretty arrogant, huh? I mean, he's really young. We still can do it. I think he has huge chance to mature himself I think he got the guns to play top 50, for sure.

RAZVAN SABAU: Right.

RAZVAN SABAU: No, I didn't play a great match. I was injured at that time. I had a problem with my elbow. I was not able to serve. Against Agassi, with no serve, I had no chance.

RAZVAN SABAU: Much better.

RAZVAN SABAU: Yes.

ANDREI PAVEL: A little bit. Is this the only one going to put questions in English? I think he likes chatting with us.

ANDREI PAVEL: Which responsibility we have right now? I didn't understand.

ANDREI PAVEL: I think for us, we feel great to play Davis Cup. Is a lot of pride in playing this Davis Cup for your own country. Every time we play for ourselves, we know we are professional, you represent your country somehow. But still you play for yourself. These weeks when you play Davis Cup, you have like also Olympic Games, is something very special. You represent your country and you play as a team. This week they are, for me and I think for Victor as well and for the other guys, too, we looking forward to play those weeks.

CAPTAIN FLORIN SEGARCEANU: Sure. When you see some results, you always think what kind of form the player is. They didn't have very good results in Australian Open, so maybe in a way gives us a better chance. But, you know, this can go both ways. Sometimes the player will come for a Davis Cup match after winning a major title and not going to be so much into it. So sometimes it's better if you don't come after winning title for Davis Cup is going to mean something more for you. You can play better, you have better willing to play the match.

CAPTAIN FLORIN SEGARCEANU: Well, this is politics what you're asking me now. I prefer to answer the question about the team. But for me, I was a Davis Cup player. Also for these guys, Davis Cup means a lot. It's the only chance where you can play for your country. It's the only chance where we can be together and be part of the team, which is very nice. Sure, after winning maybe couple Davis Cups, then you don't have the interest to play. I'm talking about a very good player, not so much interested in playing any more next year and so on. But, you know, Davis Cup means something very nice for the players. This is my opinion.

CAPTAIN FLORIN SEGARCEANU: I did. I played some matches.

CAPTAIN FLORIN SEGARCEANU: Davis Cup was something very important for me.

CAPTAIN FLORIN SEGARCEANU: I don't know. You have to ask our general manager. I don't know if he's coming or not.

CAPTAIN FLORIN SEGARCEANU: He's the president of the Romanian Federation. He's the best player we ever had. He was one of the best players in the world. Everybody knows.