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AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 18, 2017

Bernard Tomic

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

B. TOMIC/V. Estrella Burgos

7-5, 7-6, 4-6, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How are you feeling physically if it had gone to five?
BERNARD TOMIC: You know, it was a tough match. The courts were slow and the air was pretty fast because it was kind of cold, so it was tough conditions. He was playing amazing. Yeah, it was one ball maybe to go to the fifth set. Then who knows. It's not easy.

Q. Seemed to be a lot of respect to you tonight, the fist pump over the net, embrace over the net. What about him do you admire?
BERNARD TOMIC: He's a good friend of mine. We played also in the semis of Bogota where I won my second title. We played 6-7, 7-6, 7-6. I went on to win my second title a few years ago. Yeah, he's played always the altitude tournaments. I played in Quito, in Bogota. He won Quito twice in a row, the 250 there. He's an amazing player, good friend of mine as well. I spent time with him playing tournaments there. Obviously from the Dominican Republic, a small country. But he's doing amazing for his country.

Q. How do you feel your own form is after two matches here?
BERNARD TOMIC: Pretty solid. I think the first round was quality. There was a lot of quality, as well, tonight. I played a different opponent who played very well tonight. I think in the first round against Bellucci, he sort of couldn't find his rhythm, and I was playing well. Now in this round the player found his rhythm, it was the third set. He was playing amazing, going for his shots. He knew he needed to do that to come back. It was very close for it to be a fifth set. Then, you know, you're in trouble.

Q. Things were made about your fitness heading into the tournament. How do you feel after two matches under your belt?
BERNARD TOMIC: Yeah, pretty confident. I did a lot of different things the past month for my fitness. I'm happy where I am. I could always be better.

Yeah, I'm just addressing the stuff I need to do well to play the Grand Slam at a high quality, which is my serve, my tennis, going for my shots, being rock solid from the ground.

I think I'm getting the hang of playing well. Now I'm in the third round of a slam.

Q. You mentioned on the court after the match you had seen the score in Nick's match. Did that same scenario go through your mind?
BERNARD TOMIC: Yeah, absolutely. I don't know how he lost that match. I think he was up two sets to love. I think years ago when he played Seppi, I think Seppi was up two sets to love. He ended up winning after a match point. Now it reversed.

I was obviously watching it in the locker before I went on court. I saw he was two sets to love. I saw the score being in the fifth. I'm sure a lot of people couldn't believe it.

But Seppi's a quality player. I'm sure he played the right quality tennis to beat Nick. Regardless, he's still an amazing player and he's going to be huge in our sport.

Q. Nick said post match he realizes now he does need to get himself a coach. Do you think that's a good idea?
BERNARD TOMIC: I mean, I didn't know that he said that. That's his priority [sic]. You know, I still have people helping me on the side, my dad. I wouldn't say I'm coach free. I still have my dad who is there helping me, as a coach, as a father. He's not traveling much as well, because he's with my sister. But of course, there need to be people helping you, wanting to achieve things. You can't do this on your own. You need a good team of people around yourself. Some players take more advice from coaches. Others don't. At the end of the day it's how bad you want it. If you want to do something, if you want to work hard and succeed, you have a good shot at it in yourself if you want to do those things.

Q. With so many of the sets you won tonight being 7-6, 7-5, what were you doing at the end of those sets that helped you get over the line?
BERNARD TOMIC: I was serving well. I was focused on my serve a lot. After Brisbane, I played a bad match where David was on top of me the whole match where I didn't serve well. I knew I had to serve well. I was working on my serve basically the last two weeks, in the XO's, regardless of the scores where I won or lost, it didn't matter to me, I was just focusing on my serve and my percentage. I think I was fourth last year on percentage of first serves. That's the key to my tennis. Prior to that year when I got to 16 or 17 in, I was serving as well top five and six percentage-wise.

When I'm doing that, I'm a different player. I needed to address those things before the Australian Open. Now I'm serving well.

Q. With Cilic out, do you feel the draw has opened up a bit more for you?
BERNARD TOMIC: Yes and no, because Evans is not easy to play. He's awkward. I did beat him the last time in four sets in the Davis Cup. He beat me prior to that when I think I was 19 or 20 at the US Open, where he beat Nishikori as well in straight sets. He goes for it. He plays amazing. He just made the final of Sydney. This player has nothing to lose. He's playing the best tennis of his life at this stage. He deserves to be in the third round.

Q. Nick mentions that he's struggling to commit to a full preparation and all that stuff. Was there a moment when you were growing up, been on the circuit for a few years, where you decided to be a bit more committed to your tennis?
BERNARD TOMIC: It's tough to say. Nick is 14 in the world. He's achieved amazing things in tennis so far. So have I. But it's pure talent. We have amazing serves. He has one of the best serves in the world now, couple three, four serves in the world.

Regardless of how he wants to work in this, he's always going to be an amazing player because of his serve. You don't need hard work to have an amazing serve. It comes naturally, I think. You can work on your spots and your timing, but some people have the serve, obviously have the height, have the advantage. I think the different part is how much you want to succeed. Like you say, you have to work hard.

But sometimes you work hard and you can do well and lose. Other times you're less prepared and you do well. It's true.

Q. Can you talk a little bit about some of the stuff you've been doing differently.
BERNARD TOMIC: I was doing a lot of different things. Is it helping? I don't know. I still get into the match and I'm still doing what I've always done in my life, playing the tennis I play. It's awkward for players. I'm serving well. I'm going after my shots.

Obviously you need to be well-prepared. You're playing a slam. But as I said in a few press conferences before, there's quality players in the world, top 10, top 20, that aren't really fit. They just use their weapons, what they have. A perfect example is someone like Nick or Isner, Raonic. They're using what they have, they're using it amazing. They're working hard.

You just got to use what you have, try to build it even better and better. I have things I have to work on. Fitness is one of those things. I can't take my game away. My game what is there, it's always going to be there. I always sit back on it into a match, do the stuff I've always needed to do in my life to win matches for me.

Q. Is there any bad blood between you and Evans?
BERNARD TOMIC: No. I think we're good friends. We played Davis Cup last time. He obviously won. Yeah, it's 1-1 record. We've gotten along. I have no problem with him at all. He has no problem with me. He's a nice guy. I congratulate him for the third round, and I'm playing the third round.

Q. There was an incident a couple years ago where he was told he wasn't good enough to train with you. That's not anything that sort of will surface now?
BERNARD TOMIC: Yeah, I can't remember what happened there. I don't know honestly what happened there. I would have said so. But me and Daniel Evans are good friends and I respect him, what he's achieved so far. I wish him the best of luck for the third round.

Q. We're doing a story with Gareth Fletcher. Do you enjoy having someone like him with his chants? Calling Bernard tonight.
BERNARD TOMIC: He's a good guy. Been at it for a while. He's great for us, all Australians. Obviously I think he comes to Wimbledon, as well. He's a nice guy. I get along with him well. He's been many times at the Davis Cup where he supported us. He has his crew on the side. They're a big help to me and all the Australian players. I'm sure everyone will think the same.

Q. Would you like to see more fans get behind you? Do you think it was just they were going for the underdog, wasn't anything personal?
BERNARD TOMIC: I think Estrella used the crowd. He was playing amazing. I felt happy for him. I enjoyed he was playing well. I've known him for a few years now and we hit a lot. I was kind of happy he was going in the moment in one way, and I was kind of sad. Fourth set, oh, no.

Q. Are you looking farther in the draw or just focusing on Evans?
BERNARD TOMIC: I knew until the third round. I don't need to know anymore. I saw Cilic and Evans. Now I'm playing Evans. This is a chance for me to do well here. It's a chance for him to do well, as well.

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