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WIMBLEDONJune 26, 2014Nick KyrgiosLONDON, ENGLAND N. KYRGIOS/R. Gasquet THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. Do you feel that it's actually been a while coming? You made such rapid strides in the game. NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah, it was an unbelievable match out there. My first ever two sets love down, coming back and winning. It's an amazing feeling. So proud of yourself the way you hung in and fought it out. I played some unbelievable tennis today. He was coming up with some really good shots as well. I think I saved nine match points. There's plenty of opportunities he could have taken. I came out on top, I'm really happy. Q. What's the bigger achievement, coming from two sets to love down or nine match points saved? NICK KYRGIOS: I think two sets love down. At that stage it seemed like a massive hill to climb. I stuck in there. I just fought and I gave myself the opportunity to win the match. Q. What were you thinking while you were facing each one of these match points? NICK KYRGIOS: I was just thinking I just need a big serve every time. That's what I was thinking. You know, a couple times where I missed my first serve. Obviously the challenge kept me in it. I was just thinking about going through my routine, coming up with something, going after it, playing aggressive. Q. The Australian fans were very vocal in the front row. Does that help or can it be distracting at times? NICK KYRGIOS: I think for me it definitely helps me. I like to sort of engage with the crowd, show a lot of emotion out there. Knowing they're going to tough it out with me for that long period really gets me going. It makes me enjoy the match a little bit more. I think it definitely helped me today. Q. That was one of those really close‑call challenges. What was your feeling that you saw that the technology could keep you in the match? NICK KYRGIOS: I mean, I guess that's why we have it today. I can't really say too much about that. The serve was in. It was a bit unlucky to be called out. It was a good serve, would have saved another match point. That's the way it was. Obviously I was relieved that it did catch the back of line. Q. You seem to love the big stage. Where does that come from?  Have you always been like that? NICK KYRGIOS: I'm not sure if I've always been like that. I just enjoy having a big crowd, trying to entertain them a bit. I think you just got to refuse to play bad out there for the crowd. I think you got to find your best tennis sometimes. That's what I did today. I think the crowd enjoyed it a lot. Q. Geoff Masters said to you afterwards it was a career‑defining match for you. Is that overstating things or do you feel that way? NICK KYRGIOS: I think it's a massive steppingstone for me to finally reach the third round of a Grand Slam. Especially to come back from two sets to love down, it can be a building bridge for more things to come. It is my biggest career win, I think. So I'm going to take a lot of confidence out of me moving forward. Q. Gasquet said to us afterwards that he saw you as a future top‑five player, potential Grand Slam winner. What are your own goals? How far do you think you're going to go? NICK KYRGIOS: My goal is to become the No.1 player in the world. He's a great player. He sort of made me play some of the best tennis I ever played today. They're very kind words. It's motivation to keep working hard. He's noticed I can do something special in this sport. Q. You were standing between changeovers. Is that something you always do? NICK KYRGIOS: Sometimes I do that. Sometimes I'll sit down. It's nothing out of the ordinary for me. I'll do stuff like that all the time. Q. Talk about Vesely, the next opponent. NICK KYRGIOS: He had a massive win today, winning in five sets. He's also young. He's on the rise. He's got a really aggressive game, big serve. Big hitter as well. I think the grass is suiting him nicely. Well done to him, as well. Q. You go after your matches and write down your thoughts and send them out to the world on your blog. What might the introduction to the story be tonight? NICK KYRGIOS: Haven't thought about it at all. At all. Q. Could you perhaps give us a sense of how the words might fall? NICK KYRGIOS: Wow! Q. How are you feeling physically? NICK KYRGIOS: As soon as I came off the court, I was hurting a little bit. But I went to the gym. I did everything I needed to do. Good nutrition. I'm feeling pretty good now actually. I think I've come a long way since the Australian Open second round. That's all positive. Q. The Australian Open second round, that fifth set, first five‑set match, what have you been doing to increase your strength? NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah, I've got a great strength and conditioning coach. He's been doing the hard yards with me. I've really committed to buying in what he wants me to do. I think I've developed as an athlete along way. I think I'm getting better every day. I think maybe just a bit more experience as well managing my emotions out there, so... Q. Anything specific you're doing? Running, weights? NICK KYRGIOS: Combination of all, yeah. Q. How do you think you'll pull up in two days? NICK KYRGIOS: I haven't thought about that at all. I'm going to do everything I can to get me in the best shape possible. I think I'll be fine. I'm going to go through good nutrition, good sleep, all that stuff. I think I'll be able to get up for the third round of Wimbledon. Q. Australia has had a long wait for a Grand Slam winner since Hewitt here. Are you feeling that pressure from your country? Tomic was hotly tipped but has been surrounded in controversy during his career. Is that a cautionary tale for you? NICK KYRGIOS: There's a little bit of pressure there. At the same time they obviously see that you can win Grand Slams and stuff like that. It's all motivation. But I'm not really thinking too far ahead. I've got a long way to go still. I just have to stay on the ground and keep working hard. Q. Across many years Australian men have always had great results here and love the grass. Do you get a sense that Wimbledon has a special magic for Australians? What does it mean to you to play here? NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah, I think all the Aussie players are pretty comfortable on the grass. Luke Saville, qualifying, winning a round, great result. Lleyton, Bernard, we're all comfortable on the grass. All the Aussies when they come to Wimbledon, we think we have a bit of an advantage because we are comfortable on the grass. It's an exciting time of the year. We don't get to play on it that often, but I think all our games suit it. Q. Can you describe a bit about your background. Is it Greek ancestry you have?  How did you get into tennis? NICK KYRGIOS: I'm half Greek and half Malaysian. My mom is Malaysian. I got into tennis when I was seven. My mom brought me down to the local tennis center in Canberra, my hometown. I wasn't keen. I didn't want to play it. It wasn't a bad choice. I like it now. Q. What made you stick with it? NICK KYRGIOS: I think my dad was pretty big on becoming a tennis player. I enjoyed it as well. I loved basketball as well at the same time. I think it was good to have that balance of another sport while I was progressing. At 14 I had to make a choice, and I chose tennis. Q. Might I ask what your parents do for jobs? Is it correct you played basketball for Australia, as well? NICK KYRGIOS: I never played basketball for Australia. I was decent. I never played for Australia. My dad is self‑employed, he's a painter. My mom is a computer engineer. Q. How big are you going to be in Canberra? NICK KYRGIOS: I guess I'll be pretty big. I'm not sure. I don't know if they'll notice me or anything like that. I don't know. Q. Talk about the goal of getting to the very top. Do you have a time scale in mind? NICK KYRGIOS: I think it's just a long journey. There's going to be a lot of ups and downs. I've just got to do all the right things, work hard, keep having great effort. Hopefully if you marry that up with your ability on the court, anything is possible. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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