Argentina - 2
Australia - 1
THE MODERATOR: Congrats, Team Argentina. Can the captain please give us an overview of the tie and take us through your emotions?
CAPTAIN HORACIO de la PENA: The final overview is that we got very lucky. We knew that we were facing one of the best teams where we had a very small chance of winning, and like every star aligned.
The girls did great, and that told me we were able to come back from a very difficult loss because he didn't bad at all, but de Minaur was incredible today. He played super tennis.
When that finished, we had to make a decision if face again another very difficult match or put the doubles guy. He said, I want to take the responsibility. I want to turn this thing around, and he did it great. I'm very proud of that.
THE MODERATOR: If we can hear from Lourdes. You came late, but you played amazing doubles. Just your impression out there. Great atmosphere.
MARIA LOURDES CARLE: I knew I wanted to play today. You don't think much about if I arrived late or whatever. I just tried to do my best.
Tomy helped me a lot definitely. It was easier to play with him. Yeah, everything, like I say, when you have to play these matches, for me it was a great experience to play on this court. So everything was positive to think, and I was focused on that.
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. Tomy, you mentioned on court that you have known each other for many, many years. Could you just tell us a little bit more about what you remember from those days and how special it is representing your country together?
TOMAS MARTIN ETCHEVERRY: We know each other since we were young. We played, you know, under 12, under 10, under 8. Yeah, all the chapters together. Yes, it's really special for us to share the court in this amazing stadium and with all the people around.
We have a lot of support from the people from Argentina, so that is really, really important for us. A lot of, you know, big energy today. So, yeah, I am extremely happy.
Of course, the girls did an incredible job today after my tough loss on singles. I just try to do my best on doubles mixed and tried to get the win.
Q. Maria, what do you remember about Tomy from when you were that young?
MARIA LOURDES CARLE: So many trips together. I think he's one year older than me, so we basically played the same tournaments. Yeah, so many trips.
We used to travel together with our federation. Yeah, like he say, we know each other since a while. Yes, now he's way bigger, taller, and he growth, but he's still the same. So, yes, that's it.
Q. Before the mixed doubles match, did you discuss a lot of tactics, or was it just going out there and playing? How did you come to the decision of who was going to play of the two of you, and did you discuss much tactics?
CAPTAIN HORACIO de la PENA: The first thing is that after what I just said after Tomas lost, he was feeling terrible because he didn't play bad. He felt, like, overpowered.
He said, I want to turn this thing around. He asked me, What do you think is best, if I try to step in or if I let the doubles guy play? I said, Mixed doubles is not a doubles. It's a mixed doubles. It's a lot more closer than a singles than a doubles.
I said, If you are the best of the four guys, you can win your service game like he did in the last game, a very important game. He served it out. He had a lot of power. He is big. He covers a lot of court.
It's a lot easier to play from the baseline in mixed doubles than to play up front because the net is a lot weaker when it's a guy and a girl. So I told him, Let's go and make it.
Because we were playing a very good team, two guys that have played super tennis, super doubles, we had to play around with a lot of different tactics to try to get him off position.
Q. Nadia, obviously a great start for you. Just how did it feel to start your season that way and give your country the lead?
NADIA PODOROSKA: Yeah, it was very nice for me to play on that court. It was incredible atmosphere out there. I'm proud of my game. It was my first match of the year, and I think I played great tennis, very consistent the whole match.
So, yeah, I'm very happy.
Q. You had a very strong Argentinian contingent in the stadium. Did that surprise you? Are you hoping that they'll come back for your match against Great Britain as well?
CAPTAIN HORACIO de la PENA: If they're not planning on coming back, we want to invite them. We need them. They were great. They really support us, and they made us feel like locals. So we're really grateful for that.
That's something that is very Argentinian. Like you saw them when we went to the work-up, it looked like it was in Argentina. Very few people, a lot of noise.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports