The two iconic captains of the Legends Team Cup - ATP Champions Tour have opened up and spoke about this incredible new exciting journey...

How would you describe the concept of Legends Team Cup-ATP Champions Tour?
IVAN LENDL: The concept is fantastic and people enjoy watching legendary players because is like a trip down memory lane. Even if, for obvious reasons, the level is not the same and players don’t move as fast as in the past, they still have the same skills and hunger for winning, therefore the combination of all these elements makes Legends Team Cup-ATP Champions Tour the icing on the cake.

PAT CASH: the audience have been watching these players on TV for the last 20 years. The Legends Team Cup-ATP Champions Tour is a bit of a resurrection, players can play incredibly well. It is exciting and it is a team competition. Tennis players want to win every single match, they are simply competitive based, they have been trained their whole lives to be like that!

Why did you decide to participate and become captain of this new spectacular series?
IVAN LENDL: I like the concept and some of the locations are just spectacular, for example the Amphitheatre is absolutely out of this world, it is going be a new experience and it is going to be stunning.

PAT CASH: Yes absolutely, there are going to be amazing places, but my real motivation is to kick Ivan’s ass.

Do you have a strategy in mind?
IVAN LENDL: I do! For instance, Pat has already agreed to make me pick first since I’m older. I’m already calling all the players asking how much tennis are they playing, the four or five that give me the highest hours played per week are on my team!

How was your relationship with (Pat/Ivan) when you had your active career?
PAT CASH: Ivan was somebody I looked up to, he was the new number one in the world when I started playing professionally and my goal was to try to be as good as him. We competed hard, we had great matches, most of the time very tight, pretty competitive and I look forward to seeing this competitiveness on the field again.

IVAN LENDL: The first time I remember meeting Pat we were at White City, we had a match with Charlie Fancutt. Pat and I always got along well, we competed hard and we respected each other.

In your opinion, what were the most important factors behind your success?
IVAN LENDL: I think good solid targeted work, whether you are a player or a coach, the word “targeted” is the key because when you work hard it doesn’t necessarily mean you are going to be successful, you have to work hard with a purpose.

PAT CASH: I agree with Ivan, analyze and work hard with a purpose is correct, but Ivan was incredibly talented physically, technically and mentally tough, he is lucky, he had it at all. I had some weaknesses and I tried to make up with mental and physical toughness. In general, you can only get so far if you have the right attitude.

If we look back on your professional career, is there any specific moment that you are most proud of and what characterized that era?
PAT CASH: Obviously, winning Wimbledon in 1987 was huge for me and the Davis Cup as a team competition was equally important.

IVAN LENDL: A surprising moment was winning the Davis Cup beating Argentina in Argentina in the 1980s, it happened unexpectedly. But, instead of picking one competition over the other, I believe each one first time is special.