THE MODERATOR: Questions.
Q. What is it like being back in Perth?
ELENA RYBAKINA: I'm first time.
ALEXANDER SHEVCHENKO: I'm first time, as well.
ELENA RYBAKINA: Everyone is first time.
Q. Any impressions of Perth so far for your first visits? Have you seen any of the city yet?
CAPTAIN ALEKSANDR NEDOVYESOV: We've been here only for a few days. To be honest, haven't seen much. The weather been changing a lot from 40s to 20s to a lot of wind.
Yeah, but haven't seen much, to be honest. We know there is a special place to visit, a few special places to visit. At the moment, we are really focusing on our first match. Then we'll see how it goes. The day after maybe we'll go visit the island with the quokkas, Rottnest Island. But, yeah, besides that, courts, hotel, usual routines for the tennis players.
Q. It has been Christmas. Did you spend it together?
ALEXANDER SHEVCHENKO: Yes, we spend it on a nice dinner with the team, we played some games as well. We ate good food. We had a lot of fun yesterday.
Q. This is a team format. Tennis is such a solo pursuit. Do you enjoy coming together as a team?
ELENA RYBAKINA: Yeah, I mean, it's really fun to be in the team. For me it's first time playing United Cup. I'm looking forward. We have good team. A lot of fun.
ALEXANDER SHEVCHENKO: Obviously we don't have so much a lot of team events going on. When there is team events, I'm always really hyped about it. We have great team, especially Elena (smiling). We're going to have great chances.
ELENA RYBAKINA: (Laughter).
Q. You mentioned you haven't seen too much of the city. Generally what do you all like to do when you're not playing tennis off the court?
ZHIBEK KULAMBAYEVA: I heard here is great beaches. We will definitely go to beaches after the match.
CAPTAIN ALEKSANDR NEDOVYESOV: Again, like I said, visit quokkas would be the special one, but also the animals like kangaroos or koalas. Once again, coming to Australia, you have the opportunity to go feed them maybe or something. That would be on my bucket list on a day off.
Q. You mentioned it's your first United Cup. What was the appeal of coming to this tournament? What excites you about it as a tournament?
ELENA RYBAKINA: Yeah, I thought it would be nice to change a little bit beginning of the year. Team event also I think it's quite fun. Still you can play against a lot of good players. I thought it's not a bad idea to change a little bit.
Yeah, just looking forward to start. Hopefully we can win.
Q. You get Jessica first up. Have you played against her before? What are you expecting from her?
ELENA RYBAKINA: Never played against her. I think it's going to be quite difficult because I just arrive couple days ago. I mean, like everybody, still a lot of jet lag. Physically not easy. Different conditions, quite hot.
Yeah, I think first match is definitely going to be tough. But after couple of days, hopefully it's going to be better.
Q. Alexander, you mentioned the team aspect excites you. How much pride do you take in getting to represent your country?
ALEXANDER SHEVCHENKO: Yeah, obviously is a huge experience, a thrill to represent the country, especially Kazakhstan. It's always you get very emotional on the team events. Just want to bring good results. We as a team want to bring good results to make Kazakhstan proud of us.
Q. You get two guaranteed singles matches. How can that help you in terms of preparing for the next month of tennis?
ALEXANDER SHEVCHENKO: Yeah, obviously I'm going to have two really tough opponents. Obviously it's great to have some matches before the Australia Open. Let's see. Maybe I can get even more than two (smiling). Let's hope about that.
I think we have a great chance. It's going to be a great preparation for me to start here.
Q. Elena, how well do you know your fellow No. 1 singles player and how much time do you spend together when the tours come together?
ELENA RYBAKINA: Well, now we did pre-season in the same, like, spot in Dubai. I mean, we don't spend so much time together, to be honest. I know Sascha pretty well.
Well, yeah, hopefully we just going to have fun here, even know better each other.
Q. If I was to ask you to tell me one interesting thing about each team member here, tell me something.
ELENA RYBAKINA: Actually, I don't know. Maybe you guys can help out with this one.
ALEXANDER SHEVCHENKO: You have to say something about Dmitry because he was staying silent all the time.
CAPTAIN ALEKSANDR NEDOVYESOV: Do you know the game Alias, when you have to explain the word? Dmitry is the best one. So this is the fun fact about him. Yeah, he is the best one.
I know Elena is really quiet. Once she relaxed, she can be really fun.
Sascha is the one to kind of forget things. He is the one who needs someone on his side to be taken care of. He needs a nanny kind of by himself.
Next to him, Zhibek is probably the most serious one about the team. So don't fool around.
Q. Elena, you have a marquee singles match against Maria. Your thoughts on that?
ELENA RYBAKINA: Well, definitely going to be tough match. Yeah, we played couple of times. It was always close. I think it's good start for me also to play against someone like her.
Yeah, just looking forward. Again, hoping to win, yeah, bring some wins for the team.
Q. Alexander, your thoughts on your opponent Tsitsipas and Carreno Busta?
ALEXANDER SHEVCHENKO: Obviously Carreno Busta is amazing player. He been injured for a long time. I played him in Winston-Salem, and it was not successful at all, so I need to make some adjustments on that one.
Yeah, they're just both great players. One has a semifinal in a Grand Slam, if I'm not wrong. Carreno Busta won, was in a final couple times. Stefanos is a phenomenal player. To beat them I have to be at my best. I think with the pre-season I did, I will for sure have some chances.
Q. In 2024 you played Alcaraz and Medvedev. When you play those guys, how much do you come away from the match having learned?
ALEXANDER SHEVCHENKO: Obviously is unbelievable experience to play these guys because you learned a lot what they're doing. And if you lose, obviously most of the time you lose, but then you go there and you try to rethink stuff. You learn really a lot about these matches. It makes you a better, better player for sure.
I had pretty much last year a lot of matches against top-10 players. For sure it made me in a way a better player, yeah.
Q. Dmitry, what do you hope to take away from a week like this one? Have you spoken to the captain about whether or not you'll play in the mixed doubles or...
DMITRY POPKO: Well, I might not play at all here. At least it's some good preparation for next week, for Australian Open. I mean, I came kind of early, so at least I can take this week as a preparation for the next week where I play for sure.
Yeah, I'm going to cheer and support all the guys, Elena, and hopefully we'll get some good results here.
Q. Aleksandr, you're probably the highest-ranked doubles player. Are you intending to get out on court, a playing captain?
CAPTAIN ALEKSANDR NEDOVYESOV: Decision will be made obviously after the two singles matches. We will see on the conditions, how the guys will play, who Elena and Sascha will perform. Let's say we have backup player as well who is ready to step out on the court and do some damage. As I said, it's going to be late decision after the singles.
I hope all the team members are ready to play. Yeah, looking for some positive results.
Q. Zhibek, what do you hope to get out of this week?
ZHIBEK KULAMBAYEVA: Just to have not fun but good energy from this tournament. I played this two years ago. I really liked the event. Hopefully also get some matches maybe or wins as well, yeah.
Q. Elena, could you update us on how it's gone with Goran, training in Dubai, how you're feeling about the change of coach.
ELENA RYBAKINA: Yeah, we did couple weeks together. He's fun guy. I mean, still I cannot say much about our work. We definitely did some good preparation. Hopefully you will see on the court.
Q. What do you think he's bringing to your game? What's going to change? Is it a big change in your head or just another coach?
ELENA RYBAKINA: Well, as I said, it's still like not so much time pass. I'm getting some experience from him also as a player, how he used to prepare maybe for the matches, tournaments. Same as a coach.
Yeah, I'm learning every day. Hopefully it's going to go well for both of us.
Q. Are you over all your physical problems, your injuries? Are you in good form physically?
ELENA RYBAKINA: Well, of course now I'm much better. I've been practicing. Hopefully I can continue this way.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports