Team Australia - 2
Team Czechia - 1
THE MODERATOR: Congratulations. Through to the quarterfinals, Team Australia. We'd like hear from the captain, what were you most pleased with tonight?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Oh, just the effort from the whole team. Coming out here, we knew we probably couldn't finish the highest second-place team, so we had to win tonight. We had to somehow win two points. We were able to do that.
It's been a really good camaraderie with the whole team and the whole squad and everyone. It's been a lot of fun this week.
Good to have Maya back out there healthy tonight as well. She'll definitely be better for the outing tonight, as well.
Then obviously Alex had to step up and keep us in it. Played a fantastic match from start to finish. In the end, too tough mentally, which obviously helped him physically as the match went on. For him to back up and play a great mixed doubles with Storm. Good way to finish the round-robin.
THE MODERATOR: Questions.
Q. Maya, what have the last two days been for you?
MAYA JOINT: Yeah, just bad timing on my part. Felt really good to be back out here today. I felt ready to play and ready to compete. Yeah, I mean, love the atmosphere. Was pretty disappointed I couldn't play the first match. Yeah, really glad I was able to come back out here tonight.
Q. Alex, the way you played this evening, as Lleyton was saying, was pretty outstanding. What is it about Mensik's game that works well for you? Fifth consecutive time you've beaten him.
ALEX de MINAUR: Yeah, look, more than anything I'm just happy with the way I bounced back. I felt a little bit disappointed with my first match. Obviously didn't want to start off the year like that.
I had some kind of perspective. I thought Casper played a great match. For me, it was about doing all the right things and not putting the warning signs up, right? I'm still playing some great tennis. I still back myself. I've got a lot of confidence.
Today I was able to play a really good match from start to finish. Yeah, there were no problems with my serve, which was a big problem on day one. I'm very happy that it was able to go away.
As I said, super happy to still be in the tournament and we get to have another crack.
Q. Alex, the Davis Cup lineups were just announced overnight. Could you talk about your decision not to play. Lleyton, could you talk about the team in general, if you had any discussions with Popyrin at all.
ALEX de MINAUR: Yeah, so over the last month I've been in constant communication with Lleyton. Have decided that with the issues that my body has given me throughout last year, it was smartest to kind of just sit this one out. I'm definitely going to be available for the next one.
Yeah, I'll be cheering on the boys and super excited for that.
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, obviously when the draw came out, it was extremely tough. Considering the time of the year, where it is, the conditions, the surface, so many variables, for me it's really been working with Alex, to be honest, to not put him in a position like he was a year and a half ago and had to play injured for nine months.
Big picture in mind, we've come up with a plan that we think is the best for him moving forward.
Alexei didn't make himself available for this tie. I would have loved to have called on Alexei obviously, especially with his game style on clay, the weapons he possesses.
After that, obviously we've gone for guys that give us a lot of depth in singles matches, but also we got a couple of good doubles options amongst the team.
There's so many unknowns, though. Not many of our guys have played at that high of altitude or anything close to that either. We won't 100% know the conditions until we get over there, but I feel like I have plenty of choices to choose from.
Q. Alex, not playing in Davis Cup, how hard was that decision for you?
ALEX de MINAUR: Yeah, it was a brutal decision, right? Davis Cup has been my priority for basically my whole career, right? For me, there's no greater goal than to be able to lift the trophy one day with Lleyton, with the team, for Australia again. That's been a priority of mine. We've gotten awfully close for a couple years.
My focus is just to keep on improving as a player so I can help out the team when they need me. I've got full faith in all the Aussie players that are going to Ecuador.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports