	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

BRISBANE INTERNATIONAL PRESENTED BY SUNCORP

January 3, 2017

Milos Raonic

Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

A flash interview with:

MILOS RAONIC

MS. GRACE GRACE: Okay. Well, it's great to be here at South Bank to welcome back the Brisbane International defending champion, Milos Raonic, back to Brisbane. As we all know, this week Pat Rafter Arena is the place to be, and Brisbane is obviously the spot to be to witness some truly fantastic international tennis playing right here in the heart of Brisbane.

Milos, welcome back to Queensland. We welcome you as defending champion on behalf of the Government, and I'm sure the deputy mayor, as well, who is quite happy to have a CityCat ride with you and to welcome you back to defend your crown.

I wish you all the very best for the Brisbane International.

MILOS RAONIC: It's great to be back here. Obviously this is the most ideal way for us, as tennis players, to start off an Australian summer. It's a very important time of year for us, considering that we go very early into one of the biggest tournaments of the year for us.

So these conditions here in Brisbane, obviously five of the top ten players being here for this tournament is of great significance, and obviously a great show of the kind of support that we have here in Brisbane but also the quality of the tournament and the fact that the players believe this is the most ideal way to start and that they feel the comfort of being here many years over and over again.

MS. GRACE GRACE: It's great to hear that.

MR. ADRIAN SCHRINNER: Brisbane International, in just a few short years, has come a long way. We now attract some of the world's best tennis players, the world's best talent here to our city. It's great for Brisbane, and the people of Brisbane love it. But it's also great for the promotion that Brisbane gets on the international stage, as well.

It's fantastic to have Milos here and some of his colleagues. It's good for Brisbane, and we just have to apologize for the weather today.

THE MODERATOR: Questions?

Q. You need an umbrella. Big change in the weather overnight. What do you make of that?
MILOS RAONIC: I got here just a few short days ago, and it was pretty hot yesterday morning, so I think I would appreciate this cooling down the weather a little bit, making the play a bit easier.

Q. (Question about the weather.)
MILOS RAONIC: It's quite hot, but considering that the courts are covered, it does make a significant difference, and obviously it's a lot more player friendly for those reasons. The players do really enjoy coming here.

It's playing a little bit quick this year, as it has, I believe, the last two years when I was here, and I have heard that from many players, as well.

Q. (Question regarding playing here and similarity to Melbourne.)
MILOS RAONIC: Well, it's very similar. I think the only variable is Melbourne's actually get quite cool. But as far as the extreme of the heat goes, this is as much of a mirror sort of image you can have of being ready for those conditions, as well.

Q. (Question about day matches.)
MILOS RAONIC: Of course. You do. You want these hot days, but you sort of ought to be able to work your way into it a little bit slowly. Yesterday, dealing with the jet lag, was a little bit tough on the first day.

Q. How much confidence do you get coming back to a big event as the defending champ?
MILOS RAONIC: Oh, it's a great feeling, obviously. It even showed last year when I came here, as coming back as a finalist from 2015 -- was it -- yes, from 2015.

So it's a tournament that I have a lot of great memories at, I know I can play well at, and that I have obviously grown to have that comfort in bringing out some of my best tennis.

Q. What do you make of Rafa's return in terms of his shaking up the summer season?
MILOS RAONIC: Yeah, it's obviously very exciting. It's very exciting for the fans. It's also very exciting for the circuit and the tour. He's playing well. He's had time to really train and get himself ready. He's doing a lot of things well, so it's going to be exciting.

I guess players and the fans get to see him play quite early in this tournament, which is a nice treat, as well.

Q. For you, this year, can you get to No. 1? Is it a goal?
MILOS RAONIC: It is a goal. It's called doing everything I can to put myself in that position. It's about consistency throughout the weeks. Obviously you have consistency from the top two players, especially the last few years, that's been unmatched and unparalleled.

Obviously it's not good enough to play well for a few weeks. It's about playing well throughout the whole season, which is the most difficult challenge.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297