Denis Zakharov: "If there’s no goal to win, then why play?"

Zenit guard Denis Zakharov spoke with the club’s press service about the significance of the upcoming Kondrashin and Belov Cup for players and fans. The tournament will take place in Saint Petersburg on September 5 and 6.

— Can you tell us what the Vladimir Kondrashin and Alexander Belov Cup means for Zenit, for you, and for the fans in Saint Petersburg?

— This is an honorable event that we’ve been participating in for several years. These competitions are very important to us. As the coach noted, for the city and the fans, the cup is a historic event, so we will try our best to showcase our game, delight the spectators, and keep the trophy in Petersburg.

— The blue-whites team has already won the revived cup three times. Does this indicate a special, respectful attitude towards the tournament within the team? Have you noticed this sentiment among the foreign players?

— The foreign players might not fully grasp the significance of Vladimir Kondrashin and Alexander Belov, even though they are legends of world basketball. But they see how we are focused, how we train, and how we prepare. For them, these are official games as well, so they approach this tournament with full dedication.

— Is the goal to win the cup for the fourth time?

— Absolutely! If there’s no such goal, then why play?