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AEGON CHAMPIONSHIP

June 18, 2016

Bernard Tomic

London, England

M. RAONIC/B. Tomic

6-4, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Were you pleased with the week as a whole?
BERNARD TOMIC: Yeah, it was a pretty good week. I played very well. Played a lot of tennis lately since being in Holland. So today was a tough match. It was going to be 50/50, and it just felt like he played the right tennis at the right time to break me and came down to a few points on holding my serve. Unfortunately I couldn't hold him. That's the most important I think against him.

Q. Going into the match yesterday you were talking about the record you've got against him. Did that play on your mind or was that on your mind at all going in?
BERNARD TOMIC: Yeah, no, it was definitely there. I have lost to him three times before and maybe at Hopman Cup as well. So it's not easy playing a player you have lost to more than a few times. It does play on your mind.

There's a reason he got to 4 in the world and he's playing so great this year and maybe a chance to make the final at the Australian Open.

This year has been great for him. He's been playing some amazing tennis and it just shows you why he's one of the big dangers these days now and maybe winning a slam.

Q. How did your back hold up today?
BERNARD TOMIC: Yeah, it was pretty good. I was pretty happy with that, because I was in a lot of pain in the quarters match and before I played the quarters match.

So for me to not feel pain against Gilles yesterday and to finish the match and today to be okay physically, I'm very pleased because I don't want this problem heading into Wimbledon. It's the most important tournament for me.

Q. What do you take out of this week? Obviously you have had three very impressive wins and good results. What do you take from the week as a whole?
BERNARD TOMIC: Yeah, I mean, I'm very pleased. I think I'm back in the top 20 again. I'm very satisfied with the way I played this week until probably this match, but it was a very tough match to play well in. There was no rhythm that was going to be given to me today. I was expecting that.

This week I was playing good tennis early on against Anderson and Verdasco, and Gilles yesterday I was playing very confident. That's what I need. Hopefully I can get ready physically for Wimbledon and, you know, do my damage as a seed and maybe play the tennis I have played in the past few years at Wimbledon where I have played really well.

Q. Can you compare kind of the preparation this year around compared to some of the previous Wimbledon campaigns? How are you feeling?
BERNARD TOMIC: Well, for sure I think I've played, I've got -- I thought I played very well this year compared on points. I think last year I didn't play so good. I lost maybe quarters at Stuttgart, lost first round Halle this week, and I played well last week, made the quarters of the 250 and now made semis of a 500. Been playing very good. I think this is my best grass court sort of results prior to Wimbledon the last five years since I have played, so I feel like it's been very good preparation. Now I just need to not have these issues with my back and take care of them and not have any niggles and just focus on being as fit as I can for the biggest tournament we have.

Q. With approximately a week to go before the Championships, what sort of balance will you have next week with training and actual practice?
BERNARD TOMIC: Well, it's a good point, because I have managed to play a lot of tennis the last sort of 15 days, ever since I got to Netherlands. I got there early, Thursday, Friday, so I have been playing I think 15, 16 days straight. Already I can feel myself tired and pain is coming.

So now I'm going to rest a day or two and really address the area that was bothering me yesterday, my back, and prepare as much as I can to prepare Tuesday to say Saturday and Sunday, and then it starts. We haven't got too much to go. But I need to freshen up and do the right things next week.

I'm sure I'll have amazing encouragement with having Lleyton there and a good team, people around me. I will be as best as I can prepared for Wimbledon.

Q. Can you talk about the encouragement you get from the other Aussie players and maybe the culture of the sport?
BERNARD TOMIC: Yeah, absolutely. It's always good to see. Nick messaged me to hit. I was always open to that. He's a great person. I do respect Nick a lot, and, you know, he obviously lost to Milos as well in the first round here.

It's good to build this spirit. We have always been a team, not just -- outside of Davis Cup we are always look to encourage each other. In tournaments like this, we are always pushing each other.

We are now in that block of -- we have nine days before Wimbledon, ten days, but we're going to be practicing a lot throughout the week and trying to, you know, encourage one another to do well.

Yeah, hopefully all the Australian guys get a good shot at Wimbledon this year and wish them the best of luck.

Q. Sounds like you feel like you're in the best place you have been leading to the Championships for a few years?
BERNARD TOMIC: Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, when I look at -- when I played well in the quarters at Wimbledon when I was 18, I didn't play so well -- I mean, I only played a few challengers where I lost in the quarters and semis in Nottingham.

Yeah, all the previous years before I was losing first round on grass at Queen's and Eastbourne maybe making a quarter. So this has been my so far best leadup tournament before Wimbledon, beaten quality players and I'm feeling good, and I have to prepare now and hopefully have no injury bothers.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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