Captain of the Ukrainian women’s tennis team Mikhail Philima In a comment, Sport.ua talked about the expectations for the Billie Jean King Cup match against the Netherlands, which will be played on the indoor hard courts of the SEB Arena in Vilnius on 11-12 November.
– How did the Lithuanians welcome the team? What are the court and living conditions like?
– Everything is perfect to a very high level. It was not a coincidence that we chose this place because the conditions are good here. In general, the SEB Arena complex is very comfortable, the center court is convenient, has a stable surface – it is always there, it is not arranged immediately before the match. We also have a good hotel 10-15 minutes away by car. The preparation conditions for the match are excellent.
– Which jersey did the Ukrainians wear in the match? After all, some of them haven’t played for a month…
– Yes, Diana did not have any tournaments, but she kept her form. Yastremskaya took a break for 10-12 days, she was recovering, but then she began to prepare for the match. Today he and Angelina were at their last training session and it seems to me that they had a pretty good game. They played with each other, but these were not direct games; the girls performed tasks under special conditions to avoid conflicts before the match. It was a great workout. I hope we did everything we needed to do. I’m looking forward to the matches tomorrow.
– Kalinina is in the national team for the first time. How does he feel in an already established team?
-I hope he’s comfortable. I personally try to do everything possible to at least make the player feel all the nuances. From how the workout is structured to other little details. Of course he’s excited for the match tomorrow. After all, this is not only a first in national team matches, but also a first as the team’s number one. That’s why we will do everything to support him.
– Why were Yastremskaya and Zavatskaya at the press conference?
– It was not a press conference organized by the players. I had to at least be there, but how many players and who – it was what was available to us. It so happened that the day before the press conference, Dayana and Katya started training, so it was convenient for them to come. Sisters Angelina and Kichenok then started training.
– How did you choose the coating this time?
– Of course, we talked about this with the girls. Unfortunately, we cannot play at home, so we need to find the most suitable match for the organization. It’s November, this is definitely a lounge. Indoors, he plays 90% on hard ground, and his rivals, especially Arancha Rus, show their best results on clay. It is difficult for Kalinina and Yastremskaya, so everything turned out that way.
– We know Arancha Rus well. What can you say about the other contestants? What are its strengths and weaknesses?
– The girls know more about number two Susan Lamens. He also plays defensive tennis, keeping the match in play as much as possible and using sharp shots. The speed coverage here is average, so let’s see how our players will handle it.
Demi Schurs is an experienced player who has won major tournaments. And if the fate of the match is decided in the doubles match, it will be a very difficult match for us. I wish I could finish it by then.
– Is the captain’s job different in terms of match mentality against the favorites, as in the case of the Czechs, and against foreigners, as the representatives of the Dutch team seem at first glance?
– Yes, these are different matches, different squads, different atmospheres. I wouldn’t say these matches are the same in terms of the percentage of favorites versus underdogs. Of course, we are a slight favorite on paper, but I am sure it will be a very difficult match for us.
-Did Dayana Yastremskaya leave the Czech Republic match early? Were there any misunderstandings after that?
– No problem, we solved it.
– How do you find working with this young team?
– I can’t say it’s a young team, it’s already experienced. Unfortunately, we cannot gather the strongest all at once, but there are reasons for this. Elina Svitolina has not yet returned to training after her injury, Marta Kostyuk had a holiday with her family and I congratulate her. We will try to do everything we can in this match. I hope we will make our team even stronger next year.
