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DUBAI DUTY FREE TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS

February 25, 2016

Tomas Berdych

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

N. KYRGIOS/T. Berdych

6-4, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Commiserations. How difficult is it playing Kyrgios for the second time in five days?
TOMAS BERDYCH: Well, I don't know. Like, what do you mean, difficult? It's a tough opponent. He's playing great. He's on the run. I mean, it's difficult to stop him now. He's playing very confident, and that's what his game -- basically all what his game needs is really the confidence. So this gives him a lot, and he's playing well and quite good.

Q. What went wrong in today's match that you feel you could have done different?
TOMAS BERDYCH: Many things. I mean, once you are on the side of the one who lost the match, then it's always many things. You know, I just have to figure it out what to do better next time, and, you know, just be in the better rhythm and try to play more my game than his game.

Q. Did he do anything different to what he did in Marseilles? Did he play the same sort of game?
TOMAS BERDYCH: No, no, the same game. I don't think he has a reason or need to change anything. He's on the good run playing some good tennis, so he definitely doesn't need to change anything in his game. Just keep doing the same things.

Q. Was there any pressure for you playing him having lost in Marseilles?
TOMAS BERDYCH: No, it's not about the pressure. It's about the challenge that you want to do well and that you want to play good.

Yeah, I mean, I definitely want to perform better than I did, but that's how it is. So, you know, let's keep fighting. Let's move on and just let's do another time to prepare myself and be better and stronger for next time.

Q. He's a bit of a character. So today when he was coming in for an overhead he did a little bit of a turn before he took it. Do you notice those things, or does it not matter who's on the other side or what he's doing?
TOMAS BERDYCH: Doesn't really matter. I mean, he can do flips if he wants. And if he is winning the points, good for him. (Laughter.)

It's really not my business, and he can do whatever he wants on the other side. If it's the way that he feels good and comfortable in, it's not a problem.

I'm really just focusing on myself, my side of the court, and that's it.

Q. Appreciate your focusing on yourself, but I'm just wondering how good a player do you think he can be. Can he win the big ones?
TOMAS BERDYCH: I think he can. I think with him it's going to be just the matter if he can keep himself fit and fresh and basically ready for the long runs and for the portion or the amount of work and the matches that you have to do through the year and the years after.

I think that's the only thing. But definitely this generation is quite strong, and I think that's, you know, finally, after so many years, that it's been very calm in the tennis that there are some new faces coming up.

Q. Looking at the bigger picture, do you think we need more of these things for the sake of the sport, like characters like Kyrgios?
TOMAS BERDYCH: Well, I mean, we have been used for the last ten years, you know, that tennis has been going a slightly different way and the players has been shaped to that, I would say, almost perfection.

I think without that, there would be no results such Roger did, Rafa, and Novak is doing right now. I mean, if Nick can or someone else can make the same, who knows?

But definitely the trend has been different. I think to perform well for such a long time that tennis season is, I think it's -- yeah, maybe he might prove us different way, but it's definitely something new coming up. And as I said at the beginning, even if he wants to do flips on the courts, he's welcome. Everyone has a choice.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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