LAVER CUP

September 20, 2024

Francisco Cerundolo

Patrick McEnroe

Team World

Press Conference

F. CERUNDOLO/C. Ruud

6-4, 6-4

Team Europe - 0

Team World - 1

THE MODERATOR: Congratulations on the first win, Francisco. How does it feel winning your first match of this year's Laver Cup?

FRANCISCO CERUNDOLO: Yeah, super happy. I mean, I had the responsibility to go there and play the first match. I knew it was going to be tough. Casper is a great player. We played many times, so I knew how he was gonna play, and I think I did a really good job since the beginning to the end.

I mean, I was really there, focused, and super happy to get my second win in Laver Cup and first this year.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. It seemed very even until the seventh game. If anything, he was the more aggressive player, and then it all turned. Can you explain what happened from your side to make the whole match turn there?

FRANCISCO CERUNDOLO: Yeah, tennis is like this. I mean, it's a lot of momentum. I mean, you have to figure it out and read the match and how the other player and how you are feeling. I mean, it can suddenly change like this in tennis.

First seven games or eight games were super tough, long rallies. I mean, really tough games. I think after I broke him in a good game, I started play better, maybe he get a bit frustrated or anxious to play more aggressive or change his plan, and I think that was... I mean, it's a one-on-one fight to play better and get the frustration of the other player.

Q. Can you do a comparison with court speed from the US Open to here and how easy or more difficult it is to maintain long rallies on the two different courts?

FRANCISCO CERUNDOLO: Yeah, I think this court is much slower. I mean, balls are heavier than in the US Open. I mean, those two are really different changes that I felt from here to US Open.

I mean, U.S., the outside courts, they were fast, I mean, they slide a lot, the ball. Here, I mean, if the balls are new, yeah, it goes, the ball. But I mean, after three, four games, they get big and that's why we can play long rallies. I mean, it's tough to finish the point on this court. So, I mean, yeah, it's much different from here from the US Open.

Q. Patrick, it's the first point, it's one point, but is there a great deal of significance in just getting the one point at this stage?

VICE CAPTAIN PATRICK McENROE: Oh, definitely. Every point, you know, we have seen it a couple of times where it can come down in the last day to a point or two, so every point is very important, especially, I think, the first match, it's good to get some momentum.

That's why we wanted Fran to start, because he had some experience and we could see he's hitting the ball very well. The conditions are very good for him. You know, we're down early in the second match, so we need to deal with that, but certainly getting the first point I think is important.

Q. It was a great performance, but the one question mark was the serve. In particular, the second serve, five double faults. Is there a problem there or was it just one of those days?

FRANCISCO CERUNDOLO: Yeah, I mean, I hit, yeah, a couple of double faults. I think he also hit some double faults also. I mean, there is sometimes I did, I don't know, you go more in the second serve than you should, and then you make some double fault. Then there are others that, I mean, you get tight or things can happen.

I mean, I don't make a big issue about making five double faults. I think, yeah, it's not ten or whatever. Yeah, I should improve that, but I have been serving quite good the last week and this day, so it's not an issue right now (smiling).

Q. There have been a few coaching changes on the women's side. Could you talk about how important it is to kind of have the right coach and the sort of things that you look for?

FRANCISCO CERUNDOLO: Yeah, of course it's super important to get a really good coach. I mean, also, if he's a good coach, it's really important for me that you can get along with him. It's probably the person that you're going to spend the most days in the year.

So, I mean, you can get on well on court, but also, you have to have a good relationship outside the court. It's really difficult to take it day by day, so it was important maybe to have two coaches so you can balance a little bit. It's like a relationship. I mean, you know, you get maybe tired or you want something different, so I think it's a good balance to have two and spend some with one and with the other one but in the same path.