Z. BERGS/A. Rinderknech
6-3, 7-6
Team Belgium - 2
Team France - 0
THE MODERATOR: We'll start with questions for Belgium.
Q. Steve, not bad going back-to-back wins against Grand Slam nations. What have you been telling your boys to do?
CAPTAIN STEVE DARCIS: I think we had a very good preparation for this match. We were all ready to be on the court. I think we saw it today. They did two great matches also on the bench. They were really focused.
Yeah, I just told them that I don't care if we win, if we lose, just I care if you do your best, if you fight. I want to be proud of you after the matches.
Today I can say I'm proud of them.
Q. Captain, do you see any point of contact between this team and the team that reached the Finals in 2015 and 2017? We don't know if it's going to be Italy or Austria. You played against Cobolli. You never played against Misolic. Did something they do start thinking you the victory that you win against them?
CAPTAIN STEVE DARCIS: Yeah, it's totally two different teams. We have very good doubles. It was not always the case before. I mean, really doubles specialists.
Now we have three guys pretty young, pretty much the same level. Okay, Zizou is a little bit better at the moment. But with a lot of potential, big motivation. When I have to call them to see if they want to play Davis Cup, there is only one answer, Yes. This is I think also a big change.
Maybe they are even more closer than we were before, like when they see each other outside the court during practice, I think it's always an unbelievable atmosphere. This is good to see. This is nice to see.
ZIZOU BERGS: For my question, yeah, I played Misolic. I think I would like to play him on an indoor hard court. I played against Cobolli. It's the same. Good experience against him last year in Bologna.
At the end doesn't change who is towards you. It's about being as good as possible prepared. Then eventually it's you, you have to do your thing. If it's someone else, it's going to be someone else.
We try to look most to us. Once we know who our opponents are, we prepare in the best possible way.
Q. Zizou, can you tell us what you were feeling in those closing stages when Arthur was coming back at you and he had the set points? How did you manage to reset so well for the tiebreak?
ZIZOU BERGS: Yeah, it's always special moment if you can serve for the match. In Davis Cup it's a little bit more than in the other tournaments because you want it even more.
Then, yeah, if you don't do the right things at the right moments, they are very strong opponents and they will take whatever chances they have. If that happens, it sucks at the time. Then it's just a matter of trying to reset and trying to stay tough in the moment.
He had more chances to take the set to him. Luckily I stayed there, he didn't take them. In the tiebreak, I always feel quite confident. Whenever a tiebreak there is, I know most of the times to put the right things at the table.
I'm really happy how I went over that 'cause it's not an easy moment. But yeah, I stayed pretty calm and tried to focus on what's needed, that I needed to win, yeah.
Q. Steve, I know this is just one tie, but you've got the team going. Is it too early today to dream what might be? There's the cliché of one match at a time, et cetera. Are you able to think ahead, what could be?
CAPTAIN STEVE DARCIS: No. No. Like you said, I think today we have to enjoy a little bit because it was a very nice win. From tomorrow, we going to go back on court.
Of course, I told them, I know you have a dream, I know you have a dream for this week, but we are so far from this dream. We need to focus on every match. Maybe it's a cliché, but it's like this.
So we going to see tomorrow first who's going to win, then we going to prepare as good as we can, then we will be there ready on Friday to fight again and see.
Q. Of course, in Italy we are already thinking if we beat Austria, Italy will have to play Belgium. Do you think Belgian players have to play better when they have to play for the national team than when they play individually in the tournaments? The rankings very often in Davis Cup don't count that much, but against Italy would you consider yourself really the underdogs or an even game?
CAPTAIN STEVE DARCIS: It's a long question (smiling).
Of course, we will be underdog if it's Italy. The ranking, I don't know if it's counting. Even Davis Cup or ATP doesn't matter, because he is 26 years old, he's 40, he's getting up. Maybe the ranking is not the exact level of tennis.
Here what is good is they have somebody on the bench and can talk to them all the time. This is maybe easier. They can focus on what they have to do.
But I don't think they play better in Davis Cup. I just think we have a great - I said it - team spirit. We are fighting for each other. This is maybe a small plus. A good percentage to play maybe a bit better.
For the rest, if it's Italy, if it's Austria, of course underdog because last year you beat us here one year ago. I think they also have a good doubles. Let's see who's going to win.
In Davis Cup, there is surprises. Maybe Austria will be one.
Q. Is there a particular rivalry that you feel with France, growing up in Belgium? Is it therefore particularly satisfying to beat France?
ZIZOU BERGS: For me is different because I'm from the northern part. We're more close to The Netherlands. I feel it a little bit more for The Netherlands. I'll pass the question to Steve. I'm sure he has to say more about it (smiling).
CAPTAIN STEVE DARCIS: No. We like the French guys. We like the French players since forever. This is maybe the guys that we are the closest on the tour. We know each other very well. We get along each other very well also.
I think there is no rivalry. It's just we are enjoying to have time together. Of course it's good that we could win today because we didn't win since '97. It's long time. We are losing in every sport also. So now at least we have a nice win to bring home.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports