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BRISBANE INTERNATIONAL PRESENTED BY SUNCORPJanuary 5, 2015Bernard TomicBRISBANE, QUEENSLAND B. TOMIC/S. Querrey THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. Bernard, really dealt with his serve well. 20 aces in two sets and won in straight sets. BERNARD TOMIC: Yeah. Very tough. Couldn't read it. Especially I started a little bit sluggish that first game. After, you know, I was down that break point again at I think at 4‑2. I managed to stay back in, which was very important. I gave myself a chance and that's what happens in tennis. You saw the match before went 20 different ways throughout the match could've gone with the girls. I was trying to stick in there and get my chance, and I played two good points on his serve at 5‑4 and came back to level it at 5‑All. Q.  Three‑hour plus women's match. Would have tested your concentration a bit when you were younger, having to go on after that? BERNARD TOMIC: Yeah, it would've. I learned to deal with it. I've obviously gone through a few years now where I've adapted to these matches before and had to prepare. You said it right: it was a very, very interesting match with the girls. I think one of the sets went for an hour and 20, hour and 24 minutes, which I've never seen before in girls' tennis, so it was mind blowing. I tried to prepare as best I could for this match because Sam is a very, very difficult player. You know, I was struggling with his serve, and I was happy I won in the end. It was a very difficult match. Q. You lost a few kilos and you're moving better at the baseline. Is movement another thing that's improving in your game? BERNARD TOMIC: Yeah, I feel that I'm moving myself 10, 15% better on the court, which helps me a lot. Before I didn't move as good, so now I'm very happy that I'm moving like this. I didn't really have an off‑season where I could train after the hip surgeries I had. It was all about rehab and getting back with the hips and starting to play tournaments. So the last two months, November, December was very good for me. I was happy to get the chance to work hard and strengthen my lower back and hips. Now it helps me a lot. I'm moving much better. Q. Any residual pain from your hips? BERNARD TOMIC: No, no. I felt a little bit after like the times at Wimbledon when I played. It was a bit unusual for me, very difficult. After that period when I was on the hard courts from Colombia it was much better. Like I said, I'm happy moving 10, 15% better. It's helping me a lot and I'm getting around balls quicker. It's something that I need, you know. Q. You haven't met Kokkinakis before at the ATP level. You train and practice with him. Most recent thoughts playing against him? BERNARD TOMIC: Yeah, we practiced a few times. He's obviously been playing well, very relaxed. He is sitting at 150 in the world I think, but that makes him a dangerous player. I remember myself when I was ranked 150 and 180 I had nothing to lose going out against these big players and playing my game. He played very well today against Julien. It's going to be tough, but hopefully my experience can help me in this match. Q. Having a big serve against Querrey will help you with a big serve against Thanasi? BERNARD TOMIC: For sure. I think Sam has one of the top five, six serves out there. He serves incredible. I think it was good to play Sam leading up, winning this match now to play Thanasi. It's going to difficult and he's got nothing to lose. The way I'm playing and moving, I'm very confident. Q. Has he improved from last summer? And where in the 12 months? BERNARD TOMIC: Thanasi? He's obviously getting taller. I was surprised to see him now. I haven't seen him in a few months and he's gotten taller. He's bet getting stronger and working hard for sure. I think now he's close to 19, so now is the time for him to break through and into the top 100. I'm sure he gets a lot of confidence from watching Nick, his good friend, play well last year. Thanasi is very good, very talented, so I have to get out there and focus on my game, and hopefully my experience, like I said, can help me a lot with this match. Q. You talk about experience. Are these the matches you don't want to be slipping up in, you should be winning these matches and moving forward in the tournament? BERNARD TOMIC: Absolutely. Tough second round. Every round here, even the first or the final is like a final. You have to treat every player with respect. Every round should be like a final and you have to treat it like that. I'm playing Thanasi next and I have to go out and play like it's my last match and try and beat him. Q. You being around in Australian tennis with there being one man in the top 100, two men in the top 100, do you feel if there is some momentum coming in? BERNARD TOMIC:  For sure I feel it's getting better. I think obviously when I was 18 and 19 I felt a little bit on my own. I was happy to see Lleyton come back at that period when I turned 20. Now to see the last few years, the last year, see Nick playing well and coming through has encouraged not just myself but other players, to see that as an opportunity to work hard and to reach in the top 100. Because they all got the talent, but they need to break through that stage of getting top 100. It's going to be difficult, but I'm sure they can do it. Q. You were showing a lot of emotion out there tonight. Talk us through the shot you hit to win the first set. You jumped about two feet in the air. BERNARD TOMIC: Yeah, I had a feeling he was serving wide on his favorite serve on that court. I thought I would hit it as hard as I could down the line, and somehow I caught the racquet right and won the set. I was very emotional. I was very happy to have guessed that right side. If not, it would have been an ace. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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