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APIA INTERNATIONAL SYDNEY

January 13, 2017

Viktor Troicki

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

G. MULLER/V. Troicki

6-3, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Must be disappointing.
VIKTOR TROICKI: That's tennis. That's what happens when you don't use your chances. Definitely a bad start for me.

Disappointed with the first service game. Also, I think I had few chances to break him. He played good on all of them. Served well. Played offensive.

So, yeah, it's disappointing to lose, you know, against the type of the player that normally I like to play, but today he was just too good and served too good in the crucial moments.

Q. Was it the case to try and wait and see if his serve goes off a bit?
VIKTOR TROICKI: The problem was he was mixing it very well. I couldn't find the best rhythm. I should have moved more on the return and make him, you know, think more about the serve.

But, yeah, it was pretty hot out there. It was tough to play and tough to keep the focus all the time.

But, yeah, he played well. He also likes to play here. He's played, as I said yesterday, he played also last three years good here. Yeah, it's all good.

I mean, disappointing, definitely. I think I could have done better here also this year, especially with the opening up of the draw, let's say, in the end of the tournament when Dominic Thiem last night lost.

But, yeah, that's tennis, as I said. Sometimes you win; sometimes you lose. Especially against a guy like Gilles who risk a lot and serve well, it's tough to break him.

Q. Is it more disappointing perhaps this loss because of your history of this tournament and the fact you were going for three in a row?
VIKTOR TROICKI: No, it's disappointing. I think it was big opportunity to go far again, you know, to win again.

As I said, you know, it opened up a little bit. But, still, all the guys are playing good. To reach far in the tournament, you have to play good. All the guys deserve it.

So, yeah, at the end, it is disappointing to win it for the third time in a row, but I guess it had to happen, you know, to lose once here in Sydney after a great run.

Q. Did you feel like you were on top there in the second set?
VIKTOR TROICKI: I had a lot of chances but didn't use them. Didn't make it happen.

But, yeah, disappointing. The tiebreak, I was down. I came back. Maybe could have turned it around. But, yeah, didn't happen.

Hopefully it happens in Melbourne.

Q. Speaking of Melbourne, are you happy with the way you're prepared for next week?
VIKTOR TROICKI: Obviously, I haven't had too many matches here. I got to semis playing only one match. So today was hot. So at least -- you know, it was not an easy match, but it didn't last too long like it will in Melbourne. At least I'm going fresh there for the first time in few years. (Smiling.)

I have, let's say, I have an extra day to prepare better for Melbourne, which can be advantage. But that's just looking at the bright side right now.

Q. You face Damir Dzumhur next week. What are your thoughts on that matchup?
VIKTOR TROICKI: Well, I know him well. He lives in Belgrade and trains in Belgrade. I get to practice with him sometimes.

He's a big fighter, definitely. He can play -- he can play good, especially in the tough conditions and the big heat. He had some good wins against the top players.

So, yeah, I mean, it's not gonna be easy, I guess. It's going to be a battle. We'll see. I mean, I think if I play well, I'm a favorite. But you never know. It's a Grand Slam, and you have to play your best to go through.

Q. Do you think that maybe getting the quarterfinal walkover maybe disrupted your rhythm?
VIKTOR TROICKI: A little bit, I gotta say. Yeah, I think I was slower today than usual.

It felt nice yesterday. But today I think I was a bit out of rhythm. That's why I started slow, maybe, in the match.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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