C. ALCARAZ/T. Fritz
6-2, 7-5
Team Europe - 13
Team World - 11
THE MODERATOR: First of all, Team Europe, congratulations on winning the Laver Cup Berlin 2024. Congratulations. All of you will receive, as you see in front of you, a personalized mini trophy for you to take home with your names engraved in them.
Bjorn, it's been a tremendous three days, great tennis, great excitement, great atmosphere here in Berlin.
CAPTAIN BJORN BORG: Good team, good spirit. We have been having a good week together. If we started this Sunday in the morning, I think we had problems, but all these guys came through. It's unbelievable. I'm so happy. I'm very happy, because it's my last year Laver Cup, and for me to have this team, it's beautiful. Very nice.
THE MODERATOR: Questions.
Q. Carlos, your feelings, your emotions when that last point was won?
CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I was really, really happy, honestly. I mean, obviously our goal was to win the Laver Cup. We did it.
So yeah, as I said before the tournament that I think winning the Laver Cup, it is great. And once I did it, it was a pretty good feeling. I'm not gonna lie. Obviously, celebrating with them is even better feelings. So, well, personally I'm really, really happy.
Q. The captain has said he wasn't quite sure whether you would win it at the start of today. Can you talk about the thinking that went into who played which match?
ALEXANDER ZVEREV: Who are you asking?
Q. Whoever wants to answer.
CAPTAIN BJORN BORG: Come on.
ALEXANDER ZVEREV: What was the thinking? Well, it was quite simple. We had a meeting last night. It was extremely simple. We had an extremely simple meeting.
Carlos walked in. He decided, I want to play doubles with Casper. Then Daniil is gonna play singles against Shelton.
CARLOS ALCARAZ: Wasn't me, right?
ALEXANDER ZVEREV: Daniil is gonna play singles against Shelton. You are not going to lose to Tiafoe, which he had so much confidence in me, I never had in my life within myself, ever. And I'm gonna win the deciding match. And, well...
DANIIL MEDVEDEV: So you knew I'm gonna lose, right? (Laughter.)
ALEXANDER ZVEREV: No, honestly we had, like, a half-an-hour meeting, and Carlos walked in and decided what we are gonna do and we went to do that. (Laughter.)
CAPTAIN BJORN BORG: We all were happy. If you wonder something, we are very happy. Very proud and very happy. Team spirit, team effort, yes.
Q. Bjorn, can you look back on your seven years as captain, what will you be telling people in seven years to come?
CAPTAIN BJORN BORG: These guys, they play each other every week all over the world. It's just to give them energy. They know exactly how to play, what they should do.
But for me, as a captain, give energy to these guys. Even if they play, they might play one or two games they play bad or something happen, but that's important. Energy, and it worked, yes.
(Alternates Struff and Cobolli coming to the dais.)
(Applause.)
ALEXANDER ZVEREV: This is Flavio Cobolli's first title. He's very happy.
(Applause.)
FLAVIO COBOLLI: So first of all I want to say thank you, guys, for everything, because I came here for make experience on my back.
Like I said in the speech, I came here for learn something, and I did it. So thank you, and I hope for another Laver Cup with you.
(Applause.)
JAN-LENNARD STRUFF: Yes, thank you, all. It was a pleasure to be around you guys. It was so nice to see you all in the locker rooms.
I mean, it was just incredible to spend so much time with you. It was honor to represent Team Europe, especially here in Berlin. Yeah, was so nice here in Germany.
Yeah, thank you, all.
(Applause.)
Q. A question for Carlos. Could you reflect on the tension and feelings before entering your deciding match compared to all the big finals you already played at such a young age?
GRIGOR DIMITROV: Where did you see tension today?
CARLOS ALCARAZ: I mean, that means that I'm pretty good actor. Very good actor. I mean, I was nervous, I'm not gonna lie. After Sascha's match, he did a really good job. It was time for me to do my job.
So it was kind of like I had to win. You know, after that comeback, I have to win. You know, I had nerves, I was a little bit nervous. I try not to show Taylor that I'm nervous, but, you know, I think I played one of my best matches so far. Tried to be as match-calm as I can and hit it as good as I can.
So, I mean, comparing to other tournaments, I mean, it's a different feeling. Obviously having them supporting me behind me, so it's different. They try to just stay there and show me good energy all the time that makes me feel really comfortable on court and trying to pull out all the nerves and make good tennis.
So I'm going to say it's kind of different feelings.
CAPTAIN BJORN BORG: And I think the last two matches with Sascha and Carlitos did was unbelievable. They both have a lot of pressure. But they handled the pressure really well, and they played good tennis. But it's a tough situation where they were in today with those two matches. But they did it. We're happy, yes.
Q. Grigor, do you remember what you were supposed to do after winning the Cup? (Laughter.)
CARLOS ALCARAZ: She wants to see it. She wants to see it. (Laughter.)
GRIGOR DIMITROV: What was my promise again?
Q. And now you remember me for the rest of your days. Not me. It was Sascha, actually. You said that at the first press conference.
ALEXANDER ZVEREV: I don't remember what it was exactly, but --
CARLOS ALCARAZ: You say naked or something like that.
GRIGOR DIMITROV: I was just naked in the locker room. Did I say that, guys, really? Tell me exactly what I said.
Q. No, Sascha said when the Team Europe wins, Grigor has to get naked.
ALEXANDER ZVEREV: And you agreed.
Q. You didn't say no. You said, well, I'm not very comfortable with it. But you didn't say no. But I do have a serious question.
GRIGOR DIMITROV: Thank God.
CARLOS ALCARAZ: She wants to see it. She remember.
Q. Now you all remember me, for sure. You were in a coaching mode a lot of the times. So why not coaching Hurkacz since you're his good friend and he's looking for a coach?
DANIIL MEDVEDEV: That was the most random question... (Laughter.)
GRIGOR DIMITROV: I am hoping someone wants some tips. I don't think I'm going to be that good of a coach. I was just going with my gut feeling and whatever I was seeing on the side.
I think it's also the excitement, adrenaline. When everything kicks in, you see things. Of course you're always risking to say the wrong think. I was actually talking to Daniil. I said, Should we say this? He said, No, no. Please don't say that. I don't want to have that responsibility.
Then he made me doubt myself there for a second.
DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Other way.
GRIGOR DIMITROV: I said, Let's go wide.
He's, like, Don't tell him.
Come on. It's fine. Remember?
DANIIL MEDVEDEV: I remember, but...
GRIGOR DIMITROV: Anyway, I think we did a combined job very good on the side. That's the best part about it, like, when everyone has such unique skills, and, you know, way to play the game. I think it's so nice to see also, like, from the players, everyone has different eyes and sees different things.
Q. It's helping?
GRIGOR DIMITROV: Helping a lot. Bouncing ideas off each other, and I think we also we fed off each other in that sense. I think everybody was also quite receptive to the information that was given from a player to another player. For me, I like that a lot.
Thank you, boys. Thanks.
Q. What is your plan tonight? We know the streak is coming, that's one. Sascha, tell us also, what club --
GRIGOR DIMITROV: He looked at me, and then he looked at you.
Q. Thanasi said that you gave them some club. They Google it and they're scared to go there.
ALEXANDER ZVEREV: I never went out clubbing in Berlin or out partying in Berlin. Tonight maybe will the first time we're going to go somewhere, but I think we have a few things organized, which I'm not going to tell the press so there is photographers and you guys there to write how messed up we are at 2:00 a.m.
Q. So this was the press conference. Grigor, we all saw the crazy and good images of your battle with Novak. Can fans here expect the same show, striptease and everything? Grigor: I was hoping you were not going to mention that one. I'll let the boys decide on whatever they want me to do. We had a good time. Sascha: We win, Grigor gets naked, just for the female fans and for Bjorn. Grigor: Shirt off is fine.
ALEXANDER ZVEREV: So take your shirt off.
THE MODERATOR: We will move on to German language. Any German questions? Spanish questions?
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports