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DAVIS CUP BY BNP PARIBAS WORLD GROUP QUARTERFINALS: SPAIN v U.S.A.July 7, 2011Albert CostaDavid FerrerFeliciano LopezFernando VerdascoAUSTIN, TEXAS THE MODERATOR: We'll take questions for the Spanish team. Q. Feliciano and David, there's been a lot of talk about how fast the courts were going to be here. Could you give us your impression of how fast and how comfortable you're finding the courts? FELICIANO LOPEZ: As we said now, the court is fast. It's a little bit faster than normal. But this is what we expected. We came here a little bit earlier than normal to adjust the conditions. I think we are ready to challenge this weekend and to play hundred percent. DAVID FERRER: I said, like Feliciano, the court is very fast. But I think the ball is more faster than the court (laughter). Q. Albert, you have the advantage of having a lot of top players to call on, which most captains don't. Can you talk a little about how it's different or will change things because Rafael is not here this trip. CAPTAIN COSTA: Well, for sure Rafael is a very important player in our team. But right now he is not here. We have these four players, they know how is to win Davis Cup. They are very experienced. For sure they will play with passion, with heart, with all that they have inside to try to win this tie. Q. Albert, you mentioned the other day that you thought playing at home could be a disadvantage for Roddick because of the added pressure. Can you talk about that, or is it just a hope? CAPTAIN COSTA: No, I just said that sometimes when you play in your hometown, sometimes you have a bit more pressure. It's normal that everybody's going to be behind you and supporting you. But also sometimes creates a bit of pressure. I said only this thing. Q. What, in your opinion, is the key for your team maybe this weekend? What is going to be the most important? CAPTAIN COSTA: Well, I think every match is very important. I think if we win the first match we will have more chances to be on Sunday with a possibility to win this tie. We have to win three matches no matter which one is more important or not. At the end we need three points. If David or Feli tomorrow wins, then the doubles, we'll see. We need three points, and we know it's going to be very tough. Q. Do you consider yourselves the underdog, big underdog? CAPTAIN COSTA: Sorry. I don't understand. Q. Do you consider yourself the underdogs, the big underdogs, not the favorites? CAPTAIN COSTA: We are not the favorites, yeah, in this tie (laughter). Q. Fernando and Feliciano, as far as doubles goes, what separates the Bryan brothers from other doubles teams, and what is the best strategy to beat them? FERNANDO VERDASCO: Well, there is no strategy (laughter). I think, you know, they are the best team in the world. They just won Wimbledon last week. Is gonna be very hard to beat them. But we need to try to play our best tennis, and hopefully we will have some chances. Few years ago we won one set, we lost another one in the tiebreak. We had chances to go to the fifth set. I think Feliciano and I, at that moment, we were with less experience in Davis Cup, with less matches played. Hopefully Saturday we will have enough experience to beat them for the first time in our careers, and also in an important tie like this one, these quarterfinals. Q. Fernando, how important is it for you to have a connection with Feliciano, know what he's going to be doing and thinking in terms of doubles? FERNANDO VERDASCO: Well, is always so important. We don't have maybe the same connection like the Bryan brothers because we are not twins, but we are close to be twins (laughter). So they don't take a lot of advantage in that point. Q. Is it a special tie for you to play the U.S.? Obviously you have played each other quite a bit lately. They've always been big matches. Can you talk about that kind of rivalry. FELICIANO LOPEZ: Davis Cup is a special competition anyway. But this is one of the ties you always dream to play, to play the U.S. team, one of the strongest teams in the world, away. So if we win here, will be probably one of our best wins in Davis Cup ever. I mean, right now the U.S. team is the toughest to play away. I think so. Q. Feliciano, you're just coming off a long trip, Wimbledon, good success there. You're the only one here that could possibly play all three matches as it looks right now. Physically are you up to that? How do you feel? FELICIANO LOPEZ: I feel good, otherwise I won't be playing tomorrow. I don't want to think about playing three matches. I mean, I know I have to play Mardy tomorrow, that's all. Then we might play the doubles on Saturday. I don't want to start thinking about anything else. We have so much to think in the match of tomorrow. Of course, I feel ready. I feel physically strong. But I don't know if I'm going to play three matches, so I don't want to think about that anymore. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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