McEnroe: "We had champagne in the locker room, I didn't expect to lose"

On Sunday, John McEnroe's day started off well and ended okay. The captain of the #TeamWorld began to fantasize about clinching his third consecutive Laver Cup, but ultimately the Europeans thwarted his dream and kept the trophy in Berlin. Thus concludes an unforgettable journey for the American at the helm of the red team, showcasing charisma and a competitive spirit reminiscent of his playing days. Surrounded by all his players in the press room, the members of the Rest of the World shared their final thoughts on everything that had unfolded over these past three days.

JOHN MCENROE

"It has definitely been an incredible weekend. We fought as hard as we could, we could almost taste it, but unfortunately, it didn't happen. However, we were so close to achieving it, which is amazing. The atmosphere has been magnificent every day, the team's energy has been fantastic, all the guys played well. It's a shame we lost, I admit that."

"It's probably a bit early to say, right now just after the defeat on the court, but I was ready to celebrate the hat trick. I had a different state of mind, perhaps a bit intoxicated, we even had champagne waiting in our room. I was looking forward to it, maybe I jumped to conclusions. Now I am here with you, and you ask me about the memories of these past seven years. We'll talk about that another day, we'll put it in the Laver Cup magazine."

"I loved being captain, I always enjoyed being part of the team, since I was a child, even in other sports. I love the Davis Cup, so these team events are very special to me. I always try to bring my love for this gathering that we have every year. It's a lot of fun for me to get to know the guys and spend time with them. Here in Berlin, I take away another memorable week. When you win, you experience everything differently, but here the energy is always very positive."

TAYLOR FRITZ

"There was something going on with the balls, I don't know, I was struggling with some tension in my left shoulder. I noticed it from the first day, especially when hitting my backhand. There was definitely something, that's for sure, which made it difficult for me to toss the ball, although in yesterday's second set, things brightened up for me a bit, so I thought today I would feel better. After the first two games, I realized I was still feeling sore. It's not like it's a crazy pain, but I did take some painkillers to make myself feel better."

"It's tough to compare to Alcaraz and Sinner, they have very different conditions, and conditions here were much slower than at the US Open. I felt that Jannik might serve a bit better, but on the court, I saw that he didn't have time, today I also had that feeling, of not having time to get into the rallies. I just never felt comfortable against Carlos. He rushed me, moved me around the court, I felt I had less room to breathe against Carlos, although both players are incredible."

FRANCES TIAFOE

"It was not an easy moment. The effort comes from the whole team, so in some way, I feel like I let the guys down. It wasn't easy. You know how much I love this tournament, I always give everything I have at this event. I really thought I was in a winning position; I thought I was the best player today, but I went from having an advantage to less. Then Zverev raised his level, he deserved to win because he fought hard, but it wasn't easy to lose after being a set and a break up. This week is not like the others, all the guys know that, so it becomes more complicated, especially because it's McEnroe's last year. We'll bounce back; this team always does."

ALEJANDRO TABILO

"It's been a good week. I'm sad we couldn't win, but I loved getting to know everyone; we had a great team spirit. I learned a lot this week; I can't wait to play because I think I improved a lot. I was surprised to see how much they know about tennis, they are where they are because they are really good and know a lot. Their experience is unreal. The week has been tough, but I'm proud of the battle we fought together."

THANASI KOKKINAKIS

"I had a losing role to play, probably Mac regrets selecting me, but it's okay. I tried to bring value to the team in other ways because on the court, I couldn't produce anything. I loved every minute of this week, except the 40 minutes I lasted in my match, probably my worst match of the year. Seriously, I loved being close to the guys, with John as captain, incredible stories from this guy, he's an extraordinarily funny character. The guys gave it their all, competed for every ball, it was inspiring to watch. Maybe I arrived a bit late to the party, so I tried to compete from the bench as best as I could. It's been a week I'll always remember, so I hope to finish strong tonight (laughter)."

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, McEnroe: “Teníamos el champán en el vestuario, no esperaba perder”