DAVIS CUP - SLOVAK REPUBLIC vs USA

February 9, 2002

Miroslav Mecir

Jan Kroslak

Karol Beck

CAPTAIN MECIR: Well I felt a little more chances today than the other day but I would say the US team played very good in doubles. They showed very good reflex on the net and were very aggressive there, I would say. They reached the right time and our players couldn't hold the service as much. But I would -- I had feelings that they had good chance they might win. The other day I was hoping for them, but I felt like they were a little bit behind. They were not so close as today.

CAPTAIN MECIR: Yes.

JAN KROSLAK: No, it seems they knew exactly what to do every ball. They play really good doubles and I cannot say on the day they were really better than us. We had some chances but the biggest difference between us was on the volley. They were much better on the volley and that was the go, I think, why they won. That was the biggest difference.

JAN KROSLAK: They were playing balls very good first volley, very good ones, especially Blake and I mean, the best opportunity we had on the Blake serves, but mostly he played unbelievable volleys and then if sometimes we could reach it on the volley then unbelievable good reflexes from Fish's side. Fish was serving better, so we didn't have so many chances on his serve but on Blake's more. But they were playing really good first volley.

CAPTAIN MECIR: They didn't miss almost any volley. They were very aggressive. Got very close to the net second balls.

JAN KROSLAK: They made maybe two mistakes on the volley, easy mistakes, one smash from Blake's, he just missed it but they didn't make any errors on the volley.

CAPTAIN MECIR: It was difficult to pass them at the net. Very difficult. It was almost no spot. They covered the net very well.

JAN KROSLAK: No, I didn't feel tired or something, no. I just maybe just got a little mentally broken in the third set when I lost my serve and then maybe I just start -- I was not serving so good anymore after that break.

CAPTAIN MECIR: I am not sure yet. We'll talk with the players later. I could make -- I don't have many chances to make many changes. We have one more player.

KAROL BECK: Of course I was optimistic and when you lose like 2-1, or when we -- first day was 2-Love and in doubles we have, I think a good chance to beat him, but they played very good, so that's it. We lost. What can I say? Nothing.

JAN KROSLAK: I love him. (Laughter) They were just better, that was it. I would say we had more chances yesterday. It was much closer. He could have won the fourth set against Sampras. I was close also, but today they were better.

CAPTAIN MECIR: Of course we are happy that the matches were pretty close and it was a great tennis, I would say. It is pity, I think, only one reason that we had chances in almost each match and couldn't convert maybe one more set, maybe would be tight or closer, so it would be bigger chance to make one point of them. But on the other side, I didn't know what to expect from Karol especially it was his debut in Davis Cup. I was very satisfied with his game and as I said, I am happy that they showed nice tennis and we had good two days of tennis.

CAPTAIN MECIR: Usually Kucera and Hrbaty used to play doubles, but Jan also played with Dominic in the past, so....

CAPTAIN MECIR: I wouldn't just say team quality. I would think the boys they don't play much doubles anyway. They play a few doubles in the Davis Cup. They know each other a little bit from the Davis Cup Ties, but as I said, the quality of the player could put maybe better shots and could help the team as well. We had to play with the players we had here.