TEAM EUROPE
Team World - 13
Team Europe - 8
THE MODERATOR: Good evening, everybody. Welcome to the press conference of Team Europe. If we could keep it to one question each, please, that would be appreciated.
Questions?
Q. Bjorn, can you just give your thoughts on what it was as a captain to be involved this week for such a special occasion, even though you ultimately lost?
CAPTAIN BJORN BORG: For me, it was very special to have this team, this great team. Of course right now we are a little disappointed because we lost, but the tennis has been great, good matches, close matches.
But to have the big four, and they are different with the younger generation, the players here, it's been fantastic. Roger here, one of the greats, retiring from tennis, stepped away, and we are all a little bit sad about that.
But we had a good time. Of course we wanted to win. I mean, that's why we are here. I mean, Laver Cup, for me, it's a great event. Players like it. We were here to try to defend our title but we didn't. They had a good three days. This time they were better than us.
But we will definitely be back and bring the Cup back to Europe. For me, I can talk of all the players, we had a fantastic time, a very good time, even if we lost. Yeah.
Q. Bjorn, John seemed to intimate on court that he was going to be the captain of Team World for one more year. Wondering, is that likely to be the same for you or your future in that position?
CAPTAIN BJORN BORG: I think that it will probably be the same for me. This is the fifth year, and if we can be one more year at six years, three times in Europe and three times in North America, that would be perfect.
I'm very happy to do one more, yeah, like John, too, to spend with these great players.
Q. In connection with that, Roger, do you think that you might be in the market for taking over the captaincy after that?
ROGER FEDERER: No plans there. Bjorn's doing a great job. Thomas as well, supporting him all the way. It's been great fun. Who knows, maybe one day, but we don't have any plans so far.
Right now I'm more just looking forward to come to Vancouver next year. I think the city is going to be great. I hope again we have a very strong team. I went through all different types of Laver Cups so far: the first one, the winning teams, now this time on the losing team, then also one where I was hurt last year but seeing it more from the stands and from the fans' perspective, view, and now deep on the inside with retirement.
I have enjoyed the Laver Cup in many different ways, and next year again will be totally different. I'm looking forward to it, and I'm sure Vancouver is going to be fantastic.
Q. Roger, if you could look ahead five years, what would you like the Laver Cup to look like at that stage? Would there be any changes? What would you imagine it to look like?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, I would think it's going to be something similar. You know, I don't see a reason to change it. I think it's very exciting. I think the format seems to be rock solid.
As we went into it, I thought with the team about all different variations of the things that can happen, and so far it seems great.
Obviously in five years we will have then been in many different places. Then eventually, I don't know, Laver Cup will then move away from North America and start to spread out a little bit more. Where that is is not known, but I'm looking forward to, you know, see Laver Cup going on the road, really, and to great places.
So far I think we played in some amazing cities, amazing arenas with great crowds. London was no disappointment. It was fantastic. I'm so happy that the Laver Cup was able to come to the O2 Arena.
Q. Roger, at some stage in the future, would you consider an administrational role perhaps of maybe working with the ATP or the four Grand Slams to run the tennis and actually impart a vision and use your knowledge going forward? Would that be a role that you would consider?
ROGER FEDERER: Not really. You never know. Not really keen to go into politics, to be honest, in this way. Did some of it, was good in moments, but also sometimes not the best, you know. I need to step away from it and then maybe take a different direction.
If I can be of any help, not an official role, I'll always be there. An official role at the moment, I don't see that.
Q. Have any of you heard from Rafa since he left? Obviously we know why he had to, but has he been kind of private-messaging, supporting you throughout the weekend?
ROGER FEDERER: Want to check the phone? (Smiling.)
No, he's been active. He has been with us. He was sad, happy about the wins yesterday and the losses, and he's been supportive.
Rafa, as usual. He's been great.
Q. Roger, I just wondered what you have got planned for tomorrow. You are obviously a real winner and competitor. Does the result matter, or was this bigger than the result this weekend?
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, of course I'm disappointed. I was on the team. Almost lost my voice. My hands hurt from clapping.
So, yes, I am disappointed. We wish the result would be different. Told Andy in the locker room, I don't like losing. It's not fun. It just leaves not the best taste, you know. I think once you have been there and taste success, it's just not the same.
We all travel tomorrow, and I hope tonight can be still somewhat of an enjoyable evening. Of course this weekend has been all over the place for me. I enjoyed it, but it's unfortunate that we couldn't get the win tonight.
Q. Stef, I just wondered what the team said to you when you came back to the bench after Frances Tiafoe's win?
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Well, the team is extremely supportive. Not the best result, not something I expected after having that lead and so many opportunities during that match.
I couldn't say I was nervous or anything like that. The team did their part. They were extremely supportive and there with me in that journey that I was going through today.
It's a team competition, you know. We all give our part. We do the best we can. That's what I tried pulling off today. There is nothing that I regret. I did what I had to do. I played with my heart. I played for the team. I played for my continent.
Unfortunately it didn't go the way I wanted it. We move on. I'm pretty optimistic for the future. Hopefully I can return to this competition and win multiple Laver Cup titles with my teammates.
Q. I spent last week asking people what are you going to miss the most about Roger. Now I turn the question to you. What is the thing you're going to miss about all of this?
ROGER FEDERER: Not the losing press conferences, I tell you that. They are the worst (smiling).
No, everything around, you know, the people, the fans, interactions, and sometimes the travels. It's been a great fun time on the tour, but I feel super ready to do different things in my life and take time away and speak to my family and see where we want to go from here.
I had a wonderful time on tour. Made so many friends, as well, you know, along the way. Also being on court on Friday and having such a huge moment in my career, you know, being surrounded by my biggest rivals like Novak and Andy and Rafa, I mean, was truly unique, and I can never thank them enough for being there and staying there and going through it with me.
I hope that their farewell will also be unique and special, that it works for them, because it was beautiful for me.
Now, moving forward, yeah, it's going to be different but good different. I got a taste of it the last few years, so I'll be fine (smiling).
Q. To Roger and Novak, over the years you have obviously played hard against each other in many big matches and have such a tough rivalry. In this event and in general, you have been able to come together and be supportive of each other and all of that stuff. What do you think people should take from seeing how well you kind of blend together despite being such fierce rivals on the court, what fans and people should take from that?
ROGER FEDERER: No, I mean, the takeaway is at the end of the day I think when you compete you can walk away and realize it's just sports at the end of the day. Let's not get carried away. We are somewhat an entertainment too.
Yes, it should be fierce, should be tough, but it should always be fair. I think we are able to always keep that up. Even if we go for dinner at night, like here this week, I really enjoyed my time with Novak and also Andy and everybody on the team who I got to know better, I'm truly grateful and happy that I can spend time and pick their brains and ask questions or they can ask me questions, whatever it is, and we can be open and honest, talking about it.
I was never worried that going away from the Laver Cup I'd be, Oh, I'll be less of a rival with that guy. I will always keep the same intensity up.
For me, that's why I love this week. I think playing this type of environment helps also for big matches down the stretch. I loved my time on the team. Learned a lot again. Just seeing champions at work has been great, and being up close it's something I will obviously always miss. I won't be on the bench anymore. I don't think I should be.
Yeah, so a lot to say thank you to the guys, everybody who was so good to me, this week is special, Novak and Andy, and of course Rafa. The takeaway is that you can co-exist easily in this environment.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Difficult to add anything to this. It was a shorter version.
Look, as Roger said, co-existing in this environment with respect and admiration for each other is something that I feel like we can all do, and we are, in a way, responsible to do. I think it's something that it's rational and expected.
It's also fair play. I mean, those are the values that we all try to live by in the sports. And in the end of the day we are competitors. We go out there against each other. We want to win matches.
But off the court, it doesn't mean that we should never speak to each other. Actually, I feel like these weeks of the Laver Cup particularly are strengthening the bonds.
I feel like, as Roger mentioned, we get an opportunity and time to pick each other's brains and spend quality time off the court in some really interesting conversations about tennis of course mostly and life in general, which allows us to understand and know each other better, you know, which I think is really nice. It sends a great message out there to everyone.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports