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APIA INTERNATIONAL SYDNEY

January 15, 2016

Viktor Troicki

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

V. TROICKI/T. Gabashvili

3-6, 6-4, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Quite a day. Fought back from a set down in both matches. Must feel very tired and satisfied.
VIKTOR TROICKI: It's more fun that way. (Smiling.) Get to practice a bit more before the slam. Get ready for the five sets. Actually, I played six today, but it's fun.

Yeah, it was a good day, successful day. I played think good tennis considering the conditions today. Tough mentally going on and off the court all the time. I don't know how many times I did it today, but I think it was a lot.

It was quite windy also sometimes during the match, and I managed to play well in those conditions. Yeah, I'm happy and glad that tomorrow I'm playing a bit later so I will have time to rest. But I feel fine. I feel fit. This is what I worked for the last month and a bit more, since got here, for the preparations in Australia.

I was ready and I knew I'm ready. Just another day in the office.

Q. What is it about Sydney that brings out the best in you?
VIKTOR TROICKI: Good question. I don't know. Wish I knew. Oh, it's raining again for a change.

Yeah, it's a great city. I really like it. I played finals in 2011 also; won last year; back in the finals again. Tough opponent tomorrow, but looking forward to it. I like playing here.

I'm a little bit disappointed, I have to say, with the tournament and the tournament organizers that I haven't had a chance as a defending champion to play on the center court yet. I played three matches, third seed, and so far I haven't hit a ball on center court.

I think it's a disadvantage coming into the finals. Grigor played all his matches on center court, which I think is unfair. But, I mean, yeah, maybe they put the finals on Court 1. That would be fair to me.

Yeah, as I said, I'm looking forward to tomorrow's match.

Q. You just played him eight days ago, Dimitrov. Tough match.
VIKTOR TROICKI: Yeah, very good match. I had the match under control. I was set and break up, but he came back with some risky shots. Made some really good points when it was important. He turned it around.

I think it was a great match, but I think conditions here are a bit different. We played in this indoor whatever, you can call it, indoor/outdoor court which is very weird with a lot of shades. It was tough to play for both of us there.

Still, it was a good match, and that's why I'm looking forward to the revenge.

Q. You said you came here in pretty good condition.
VIKTOR TROICKI: Well, I came here already. I feel like a domestic player. I came to Adelaide like five years -- five weeks ago. My coach, Jack, he's from Adelaide.

First day I got to Australia was like 44. It was bit of a change coming from -7 in Serbia.

Yeah, those are the conditions I had to practice in, and I got used to the heat very well, and to also some rainy days. Yeah, I can say I'm here for a long time and we worked hard. I think my game is always ready for the start of a season.

So it's good preparation. We can say what it was good preparation.

Q. What were you telling the umpire in the semifinal match? You had like a bit of, I don't know, exchange with him. What was it about?
VIKTOR TROICKI: There were many exchanges. I don't know what you mean. Mosca [Moscarella] did a great job. I never said anything about him. I told him -- yeah, I told him -- I remember now. It's just disappointing and embarrassing playing a semifinal match full of people drinking right next to you and they're pretty loud. It's not really a pleasant situation to play a semifinal match of the world tour event.

He tells them once, they do it again. He tells them again, they do it again. It's like...

But in the end it worked out. I mean, I'm happy that I won, but I was close to losing. It wasn't ideal place and conditions to play the semifinal match, you know. Center court is wide and open and you're there with yourself.

Here you feel like you're drinking right with them. They're right next to the fence having beers, wines, whatever. Yeah, that's what I told him. Just wasn't right for me.

That's how was it.

Q. Also on your first match point the forehand was called out and looked like could be on the line. No Hawk-Eye on Court 1. Was that also frustrating?
VIKTOR TROICKI: What do you think? (Smiling.) Yeah, I mean, that's how it is. That's why I said it was bit awkward to play on Court 1 all the matches. I had some bad calls during the week that were also on my side and against me, you know.

But chair umpires are doing -- they're trying to do a good job, best job they can. You cannot blame them. Sometimes it's really close, so just have to get over it.

But it is tough. Once you get used to the challenges and once you can check it and not having it on this court, it's kind of tough.

Q. Get a chance to warm up Ken Rosewall before your match?
VIKTOR TROICKI: Hopefully.

Q. Will you ask?
VIKTOR TROICKI: I already booked it. I already booked it. Luckily I remember it well from last year. I'm going to try to think about the memories from last year and try to feel that -- have the same feeling like from last year.

Q. Were you surprised Tomic retired when he probably could have just finished today?
VIKTOR TROICKI: What did you say? He could have finished?

Q. Yeah, he probably could have finished.
VIKTOR TROICKI: I don't know. I honestly didn't see what he had. I didn't see the match.

Q. He wanted to make sure the next couple days he feels better because of the Grand Slam.
VIKTOR TROICKI: That's his decision and his team. I think he knows what he's doing. I cannot say. I haven't talked to him or seen him after the match.

I guess he felt something if he had to retire. He wouldn't just retire like that.

Q. But for you it seems okay, right? You're not worried about a Grand Slam.
VIKTOR TROICKI: No, no, definitely I worry about Grand Slam. Why wouldn't I worry about the Grand Slam?

Q. So you'll be okay on Monday or Tuesday, but you're still playing here and you'll play again tomorrow.
VIKTOR TROICKI: Why not? As a professional player you play week after week. I mean, played last year; didn't feel any trouble with it.

Just gives me better confidence and better preparation coming into the slam. I don't feel any disadvantage. I feel good playing here. I think it's a great preparation.

Q. You saw in the last ten days a lot of the women decided they weren't going to play and retired.
VIKTOR TROICKI: I don't follow women's tennis. I mean, guys I just saw Bernie pull out. The rest I think -- the top guys are not playing the week before the slam. That's their decision. But, I mean, for me, it's working well, so I don't see why not play it.

Q. Did you get an explanation as to why none of your games were on center court?
VIKTOR TROICKI: No, no, I haven't. Okay, today maybe wasn't -- they were a lot of matches behind. Let's say, yeah, Bernie was playing today and they wanted to play at the same time the matches.

Semifinals to play on Court 1, I've never seen that in any tournament. That's a bit weird. Normally you play it on center court. But, okay, I can even understand that. Maybe Grigor's match was more interesting.

I don't know whatever it was. I can even understand they wanted to keep the matches together, like we started at the same time and finish at the same time so we have like about the same amount of time of rest.

But against Robredo I think it was a great -- for second round of the tournament I think it was a good match for center court. I was the defending champion, you know, he is a great name in tennis. I felt we were going to have a chance to play on center court there, but we didn't.

So I never got an explanation. I don't care honestly. Not right now. That's how it is. (Laughter.)

Q. Have you checked your draw in Melbourne?
VIKTOR TROICKI: Yes.

Q. What do you think of it?
VIKTOR TROICKI: Pretty good. Pretty good. Happy. I mean, it's a slam, so you got to play your best. There is no easy opponent. I'm happy. Could have been much worse. Let's put it that way.

Q. Think the good form you're having here gives you a lot of confidence going towards a Grand Slam?
VIKTOR TROICKI: Sure, sure, sure. I feel great. I feel fit. Let's see how it goes.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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