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AEGON CHAMPIONSHIP

June 17, 2016

Bernard Tomic

London, England

B. TOMIC/G. Muller

7-6, 4-6, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How tough was that and how satisfying was that in the conditions against a guy who can really play on this stuff?
BERNARD TOMIC: Yeah, it was a tough match for me because it's a bit different to the previous matches I have played. I'm playing a guy I have never beaten. Nobody likes to play Gilles.

Today was very tough for me to start. I had some issues before the match with my back, and I was a little bit worried whether I'd play or not. It somehow happened to be okay. I gave myself the chance to come on court and warm up.

I think with the adrenaline I started to free up and didn't feel some pain. I'm very happy. I went on court today.

Q. What's the nature of the problem? Is it ongoing? Are you on top of it?
BERNARD TOMIC: No, I was in the lounge and sitting and my back sort of seized up. This was about 30 minutes before I played. It was a bit of a spasm. I don't really know what happened.

I was very, very scared. I was in the treatment for about 40 minutes. Yeah, I was in so much pain.

I think it got to do with lying down and having a problem when you get up. I have never felt some sort of pain like that in my lower back. I was very doubtful if I was going to play. Happened to get 40 minutes of treatment and some painkillers and it slowly went away. I was very happy to get on court.

Then on top of that I have to play a player that I don't like playing. So for me it was a very tough match today to win but I won.

Q. Did you feel it at all during the match?
BERNARD TOMIC: Not really. After the first few games it went away with the heat and with the atmosphere. I'm really happy about that. Hopefully it's gone, it was a one-time thing, and it was just a little bit -- hopefully it was a little bit of a back spasm and it just kind of went away. I don't feel it since so I'm very pleased. I'm just hoping it don't come back.

Q. Can I ask you about a couple of points. Start of the third set, you slipped over and...
BERNARD TOMIC: Yeah.

Q. First break point. Next one was kind of a diving...
BERNARD TOMIC: I remember that.

Q. Diving volley.
BERNARD TOMIC: I think that was probably one of my best diving volleys I have ever hit in my career. Well, so far. I don't know how I got to it and read it. I'm definitely going to watch that on replay, because in the third set it started getting moist a little bit and started getting slippery. I managed to break on a break point, slipping over and falling down and somehow being in the point. For me, that was big.

Then I think I slipped and fell because I hit the drop volley as well, as I hit the volley for the jump volley winner. That was a very tough two games, because if I had broken -- people think that after you break that's the third set, but it's not. He was playing a very good game after, and he should have won that game to be 1-All back on serve.

So how I got out of that game turned the whole match around.

Q. You had Lleyton Hewitt standing up and applauding. Did you notice?
BERNARD TOMIC: I saw that. I saw that, and like I said, it's probably one of the best dive volleys I have ever hit in my life.

Q. You have Milos tomorrow.
BERNARD TOMIC: I have lost to him how many times?

Q. Three.
BERNARD TOMIC: Three. One being Indian Wells. Yeah, okay. I lost to him also I think in Tokyo 6 and 3, maybe at Hopman Cup, where it didn't officially count, I lost as well 6 and 5. Brisbane 6 and 6, as well. Both times I had 6 in the tiebreak. I had a bit of chances there but it came down to one point. I think last time I was a little bit injured in my wrist.

He's very tough to play for me. I have to return well. I have been returning well this week, and, yeah, just go for it out there. I will have my chances.

Q. A lot has been made about the super coaches out there this week. Ivan/Murray, McEnroe/Raonic. You have got quite a good guy in your corner. Would you regard him in the same bracket, what he's doing with you at the moment?
BERNARD TOMIC: Yeah, absolutely. I think he's one of the biggest legends in the game and well respected. Everyone respects him around the world for what he's achieved and how he achieved it. To have him here supporting me, coaching me, it's an amazing feeling. It's getting the best out of me.

He's just an amazing guy. Not just to me but to all the players. We really, really respect him a lot. So I'm very thankful for Lleyton to be in my corner this week.

Q. What are these sort of multiple champions, what do they bring to the player they are working with? What does it do?
BERNARD TOMIC: Well, it's tough to say, because, you know, Murray is a great player and you can bring Lendl in but still -- it's little things people don't see and it's over time it brings out the best of a person. And, you know, having Lleyton there for me encourages me every point to be on top of every point, to fight for every point as opposed to sometimes maybe I lack a bit of effort. When I see him there in my corner, it encourages me every point to be 100%.

Q. You were working a bit with Rochey. Was that a similar kind of thing as well?
BERNARD TOMIC: Yeah, absolutely. When I was working with Tony, I had so much respect for him and that's someone that Lleyton looks above, and Rochey is well respected around the world. I really get along with him. I have learned so many things throughout Davis Cup and being a part with these guys, Lleyton and Rochey, have made me the player I am today.

But there is a reason why Lleyton achieved what he achieved in his career. If I can get some sort of information and some sort of help from that sort of person, it's going to make me a better player.

Q. Do you spend time together off the court, as well? Do you go out to dinner with him? Do you pick his brains in that aspect, as well?
BERNARD TOMIC: Yeah, absolutely. You know, it's the little things that matter. And, you know, years before I probably didn't address these little things that I needed to become a top player. And I think that's one of the reasons maybe the last year or so or two I have been improving so much in the ranks is I'm doing the little things better and better.

There is still a long way to go. And if you can look at the top three, four, five top guys in tennis they are not just the best tennis players but they are the most professional and they are the most hard-working guys in the world.

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