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WIMBLEDON

July 2, 2016

Bernard Tomic

London, England

B. TOMIC/R. Bautista Agut
6‑2, 6‑4, 6‑4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. When is the last time you hit that ball so cleanly for so long?
BERNARD TOMIC: Yeah, I felt pretty good. I think I had to play that way. Otherwise I would have played a long match, and it's something I didn't want to do, so I needed to play like this. That was, from the start, in my mindset.
It's a shame Lleyton couldn't watch. He was on the court playing. I think he won. Did he win? Yeah, they won. That's good. He would have loved to be there to watch, because I was on fire. Maybe it's a good thing he wasn't there.
He also won in the doubles, so congratulate him. It was a good day today.

Q. What were you most pleased with?
BERNARD TOMIC: Well, I knew I couldn't match with him off the ground. I couldn't compete because I've been a little bit tired. I played a lot of matches. So I knew my game had to be attack from the start, focus on my serve.
Those first few games before the rain he was playing a joke. I thought, Oh, this is going to be a tough match.
After the rain came, I started well. I won five games in a row straight to win the set 6‑2. From then I was really confident. Everything started going off my racquet in.
Once those days come, you just gotta keep swinging and go for it. I beat a quality player today in straight sets.

Q. The court is very handy for Southfields Tube Station, but in terms of two top‑20 players, one, did you find amazing to find two quality players out there. Did it, in fact, help you, because the crowd was basically touching you, wasn't it?
BERNARD TOMIC: Exactly. Yeah, it is a bit of a ‑‑it's a bit of a, how can you say? Well, I was playing PlayStation actually. I bought a PlayStation the other day. I was playing PlayStation when I realized I was playing on Court 17. I didn't know where Court 17 was. I knew where Court 18 was. I had to really think where I was playing.
I couldn't believe I was going from going on to Court 2 to play on Court 17 where he's 13 in the world, I'm 18, 19. So two top‑20 players that are playing.
Yeah, I saw this morning, the schedule was horrendous with the players and the doubles. It was just chaos for the Wimbledon organization. It's something they have to take into consideration today because it was a tough, tough, tough five days. And that's one of the reasons we were playing on Court 17.

Q. Can you look ahead to Monday and what might happen there?
BERNARD TOMIC: Well, I saw Del Potro is winning. If he wins, then it's probably a player I don't want to play. I have lost to him twice. He's a Grand Slam champion and one of the most respected players on tour that's now fighting to come back in the men's game at the top level.
I have never played him on grass, which is something I look forward to. There is a big chance for me to win this match, for sure.

Q. A lot of people are willing him on because of the misfortune he's had. Do you sympathize with him or if he wasn't playing you, do you think you'd want him to win?
BERNARD TOMIC: I like Juan. He's great guy, amazing player. Good for him if he's playing well. If he wins today, congrats to him. But then, you know, it stops my like towards him. I have to try and beat him.
This would be a very tough match for me to win. But it's a match I can win on grass. It's going to be some great tennis, for sure, in that moment.

Q. What about Pouille if you play him?
BERNARD TOMIC: I don't know too much about him, and I'm sure if he wins, then I have to assess and sit down with Lleyton and the team and discuss what the best situation is to play him.
But right now, I think it's looking more like it's Del Potro.

Q. Compare your form to 2011.
BERNARD TOMIC: Well, I think today just showed how good I can actually play on grass, and looking back to, you know, when I was 18 playing so freely and beating Soderling in straight sets. Today I think I played that level, playing a guy 14 in the world.
He's an amazing player, and for me to beat him that comfortably, you know, just showed how good I'm playing.
Now I have nothing to lose. I'm in the fourth round, chance for a quarterfinal at the biggest tournament in the world. I have to go out there playing good and believing.

Q. What do you have to do for qualify for one of your towels besides holding a pint of lager and...
BERNARD TOMIC: That guy? It's a Saturday crowd. It's a bit different crowd. As opposed to the week, you get more of these people that know how to cheer and respect the way they cheer. As opposed to Saturdays, where a lot of people coming and it's just cheering on double faults and everything. It's an interesting thing to be a part of, especially on those outside courts.
But obviously today's cheering was every point for no reason sometimes. I felt sorry for his end, as well. Sometimes they do it at the wrong time.

Q. Assess Del Potro and his injuries in this tournament, how different he is since the wrist surgeries, his backhand in particular?
BERNARD TOMIC: Absolutely. I think before he was hitting his backhand a lot better, and it's like this because he was away for so long. I think it still is there and bothers his left hand, I think, and his backhand.
So he's struggling. He's getting into it, and he's playing some good tennis on grass. Don't get me wrong. But I really wish his wrist is going to get better.
But playing him in the fourth round, I want to win this match, but I really like Juan as a guy.

Q. I'm not sure if you have seen the Novak results. Have you heard that he's out?
BERNARD TOMIC: Yeah. We saw. Sam played amazing yesterday and served amazing. Novak didn't play his best tennis. I think when you've won so much, sometimes it's tough to focus, and everyone wants to beat you every day.
I think Sam played the match of his life, and he won. That's what it takes to beat the best player.

Q. When Novak is out of the tournament, are you able to not think about the opportunity everybody else has?
BERNARD TOMIC: Yeah, it's true. I know I'm on the opposite side of the draw, so I've got no worry to think about that.
But whoever is in that section is going to look for making the best as they can, and good luck to whoever is in that section.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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