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BRISBANE INTERNATIONAL PRESENTED BY SUNCORP

January 5, 2016

Bernard Tomic

Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

B. TOMIC/N. Mahut

6-4, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Looked like everything you wanted to do you were able to do pretty comfortably tonight.
BERNARD TOMIC: Yeah, seemed that way from I think when I was down that break in the first set. I didn't feel that comfortable on court the first three, four games, until I think I got broken. That's when I think I felt really comfortable on court.

Maybe it was good thing I got broken. Maybe it wasn't. But from then I thought I was on every ball on every return. I felt really, really good. I managed to win the set from being 4-3 down to 6-4. So big turnaround there.

Q. How has your pre-season been, and what exactly have you been concentrating on?
BERNARD TOMIC: Well, I mean, doing a lot of different stuff, things that I'm not obviously used to. More stretching. More core work. It's helping a lot. It's helping a lot, but there is still long way to go. You can't just change in one month. There are many, many months and weeks of this you have to work at it.

But I think I did a pretty good job in the short amount of time I had. Feeling pretty confident the way I've been practicing. Today I had a little bit slow start, but from then I felt pretty good on court.

Q. Stepanek next. Difficult customer second round.
BERNARD TOMIC: Yeah, very tough match. Very difficult. In one way I played a similar player tonight, so maybe that's kind of an advantage. I'll be used to the ball where it's coming in at the net. He's going to be doing the stuff that Nicolas was doing tonight.

He is a very, very tricky player, past winner here, so he feels great on these courts. Not an easy match for me.

Q. You've stopped growing? You've reached your height and weight? You think just a matter of getting your physical fitness and core strength as you said?
BERNARD TOMIC: Yeah, absolutely. It takes many, many months of work, and consistent work. Not just work and stop. You need to consistently work at it and consistently make the body strong.

For me, I think fitness is a very, very important key, especially with the surgeries I had. I have to always keep the update with the hips and the lower back and really work on that area.

I focused little bit on that the past months. See how this next few weeks goes.

Q. Are you going to keep working with and traveling with James?
BERNARD TOMIC: Yeah, he unfortunately couldn't come here. I think one of his family members was quite sick. I think after my schedule where I play in Delray Beach he'll continue to work there. I'm happy. He's a really nice guy. I sort of put the team together here as much time as I said after IPTL. It's all been pretty good. There work has been there.

Now I am ready to play again matches in Australia.

Q. Do you feel pressure coming to the Australian Open, the opening Grand Slam? How did you approach it?
BERNARD TOMIC: Well there is always that atmosphere, pressure around. It's not easy to control. You always come out on court and you do feel a bit of nerves. Even myself tonight I felt a little bit of rusty at the start. Couldn't quite find my feet.

It takes time. You can be the best player in the world and still come out on court and there is still always those nerves. Everyone gets it. Just got to manage it, deal with it, and somehow get the games going and then you'll sort of adapt to it.

And speaking of the pressure, it just comes. There is a lot of hype and expectations for us.

You just got to handle it as best you can, I think.

Q. You followed Sam on court today and passed her for the first time in the ranking. Overall becoming No. 1 man or woman in Australia, does that mean anything to you?
BERNARD TOMIC: Well, of course. Everything you do in our sport we want to achieve the best. If we can get any sort the result it's a really good thing. My ranking is very good now. I always had the tennis to be good with the ranks, but I think I lacked a bit of effort, consistency. That's what I managed and improved over the past year.

Now it's an all new year and I'm there, very close. I have to keep pushing and working hard.

Q. Goals for this year, if you have any?
BERNARD TOMIC: I mean, I would love to reach the top 10. It's very near on paper, but very far also. If I stay healthy and consistent like I did last year, there is a chance to achieve this maybe.

Q. You no doubt know that Lopez lost first round in Doha. I think top 16 top is still in the cards.
BERNARD TOMIC: Yeah, I saw it. I saw it. Yeah, I mean, I struggle I think because Brisbane doesn't go on my points system. I think my lowest points are 45, which is Memphis I think or Stuttgart.

So I don't think I make points until the semis here. That's a bit tricky. Obviously a very big delight that he lost first round. I mean, I like Feliciano. He's a great guy, but...

We get along, but kind of went to my favor. And obviously with Gasquet pulling out. Now is the big chance. Comes down to a match or two. At the end of the day if I don't get that seeding 16, I think with the seeding I'll have at the Australian Open I'll still play the seeds 9 through 16 in the third round, which is still okay then playing the top eight.

If I had been seeded 9 to 16 I think it works the opposite way, where I play 17 to 24 third round. I think if I can achieve 16 it's a very big thing. If not, it's okay.

Q. With your sort of new confidence in your body and core strength and the improvement in your game and consistency over the last 18 months, do you feel now better equipped than you have ever when you come up against these guys in the top 10 that you want to join?
BERNARD TOMIC: Yeah, absolutely. I feel closer and closer to them. Obviously every player in the top 5 in the world 10 in the world deserve their spot there. Many of the players that are there now are very, very consistent. They've been top 10 players for many, many years, so there is a reason why they're there.

To get to that spot you need to work hard. You learn from those guys as well. And having an opportunity playing these guys the past four, five years I've learnt a lot. I know I'm there. I have to keep pushing and working and my opportunities will come.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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