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AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 20, 2017

Bernard Tomic

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

D. EVANS/B. Tomic

7-5, 7-6, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How do you sum that up?
BERNARD TOMIC: Well, it was an amazing match to be a part of. He was playing a high level. I was playing solid. I was trying to compete. Yeah, it was just a very tough three sets.

I have to give full credit to him because he deserved to win this match.

Q. You mentioned how important your first serve is to your game. How do you think your first serve was?
BERNARD TOMIC: I don't know. Do you know?

Q. You were broken a bit more than normal.
BERNARD TOMIC: I know, but what was the percentage? 60, 70?

Q. A bit lower than normal.
BERNARD TOMIC: I felt like I served pretty solid. But he's just on fire. He's playing well. He's playing with not a lot to lose. That's why he beat a Grand Slam champion last round, Cilic. He's had an amazing one year.

I knew it was going to be tough, because he beat me at the US Open I think when I was 19 or 20, second round. It was a tough four sets. He played same, similar tennis like this. There's not much I can do.

The last time I played him in Davis Cup, I won in four. He didn't play as good. I just feel today everything that was -- you know, those big points, he came up with amazing tennis. At one stage I was just laughing, it's too good.

Q. You clapped to him two or three times during the match.
BERNARD TOMIC: To me it's okay. If a player is playing like that, it's enjoyable for me to be out there 'cause if I lose a match and it's on my strings and I had a forehand or a volley and I lost it, then, okay, I'm going to break all my racquets.

But if he plays like that, he deserves to win, keeps it up in a Grand Slam the whole three sets against someone like myself, who is playing very good here always, I have to give him the credit for the win.

Q. You have a good record. The last few years you only dropped out to players ranked significantly higher than you. No disappointment at a missed opportunity?
BERNARD TOMIC: Well, I knew this match was going to be tough, regardless if Cilic won or Dan won. He was playing amazing in Sydney, had a chance to win his first title. That tournament led on to here.

He's working hard. He's trying to do as best as he can for himself. He's believing. He's playing top-10 tennis. I mean, if you can beat me like that, then too good.

Q. Was there a point in the match where you felt it might be slipping away from you?
BERNARD TOMIC: Yeah. I had a lot of chances. When I was down in the second set, I was fighting to come back, I managed to break back. I had two set points. He served an ace on one of them. We had a bit of a long rally the second one. He went for a big forehand line. He managed to get it. That was one of his big plays that saved him.

I think if I had got one of those points, it's one set all, it's different. Even the third set was high quality. Every game was, like, deuce on both our serves. The shots that he was playing, I said that a few times, he deserved to win this match.

Q. Were you happy with the rain delay, when that was taken, the circumstances around that?
BERNARD TOMIC: Yeah, I was trying to find something that could distract him, change the momentum. Nothing could. He was playing too good. He deserves to be in the fourth round.

He plays Tsonga. He has a chance to maybe make a quarterfinal. He's one match a way to being in a slam quarters. He can go far and I wish him the best of luck in this tournament.

Q. How do you sum up your week?
BERNARD TOMIC: Well, solid. I reached the third round. Once again I played very well, lost to a quality opponent. So, yeah, I think I'm going to stick to making another 12 years of making fourth rounds, third rounds here (smiling).

Q. Lleyton Hewitt said that your game style was a bit too passive tonight. I'm sure that commentary is not new to you. Do you want to become a more aggressive player this year? Is it a goal?
BERNARD TOMIC: I have chances to hit the ball, but I'm so used to playing my game. You know, I rely on what's gotten me in the years in this sport. That's my game. I rely on that a lot. I tend to fall back on that when it's tough times on court.

I need to be more aggressive, that's for sure, with my forehand, backhand. But, yeah, you need to work on those things. I have the hands, that's for sure, and the game to play in this sport. But I need to improve attacking, being on top of the ball, playing shorter rallies. I'm not going to grind for five hours with these guys.

I have to change and become a little bit more -- you know, use my weapons on forehand and backhand.

Q. Davis Cup next?
BERNARD TOMIC: Yeah, you know, I haven't been thinking too much about that. But I think we have it, yeah, in two weeks. Yeah, I hope we can all be ready for this. I think we play here in Melbourne. Yeah, it should be good fun.

Q. You sound philosophical and mature tonight. Are you feeling pretty good within yourself where you're at?
BERNARD TOMIC: I am. If a guy beats me like this, then too good. You can't be upset with yourself. I was playing solid. I was competing. I was happy with myself at times on the court. I was really satisfied with what I was doing. He just seemed to do the big points better. He went for them. If you're beating me like that, then too good. I hope he can keep going for himself in this tournament.

Q. I think you said for this year you want to play more tournaments, more tennis. Is that still the big change to get you to the next step?
BERNARD TOMIC: Yeah, I missed -- I was injured for two or three Masters Series last year. I pulled out of I think Monte-Carlo, Miami, Shanghai, Rome, Paris. I missed the big tournaments last year. I was happy where I finished, at 25, 26 in the world.

It was a solid year. I played very well in the slams last year, in the 250s, 500s. Yeah, I've just got to play well in the Masters Series this year. That will be my focus this year, Indian Wells, Miami. I played well there before. Made quarters at Indian Wells. I'll look to play well in those Masters Series, get myself ready.

Until then I have February with a few tournaments in the States and Mexico. I'll try as much as I can to be ready for those.

Q. You joked before you're doomed to keep playing third and fourth round here. How do you make the change to get deep in the second week?
BERNARD TOMIC: Well, yeah, it's my ninth Australian Open. I'm 24, which is tough to think. I feel like I'm 34. It's amazing, you know. I actually feel like I'm 34, but I'm 24. Nine Australian Opens. I can't believe it, as well. It's been a long nine years already. Another 10 to go. Jesus (smiling).

Q. I know it is your private life, but Emma has a bit of attention last couple days in the press being in your box. Tell us about that. Has it been good having her around cheering for you from the sidelines?
BERNARD TOMIC: That's personal. I can't talk too much about that (laughter).

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