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BRISBANE INTERNATIONAL PRESENTED BY SUNCORP

January 1, 2018

Nick Kyrgios

Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Since some of us spoke to you before Christmas, how has your training gone since then?
NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah, it's been going good. I went to Melbourne for a couple weeks and trained with all the boys. And then came here pretty early and been training with, you know, my girlfriend for a bit.

But, yeah, I'm feeling pretty good. Been training a lot and, yeah, I've been managing my body. So, yeah, I feel pretty good.

Q. Has your hip given you any concerns in the last week or so? You said it was feeling pretty good.
NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah, it's been feeling good. I've been doing my rehab every day and, you know, right now it's something that you just manage and, if it gets worse, you kind of look at other options, but at the moment it's feeling good.

Q. There's a couple of guys out there playing to play you. What are your thoughts on that matchup?
NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah. I think three or four years ago when I first played the Brisbane International, I was supposed to play Mattie Ebden first round and he pulled out, had a bit of a shoulder injury. And, obviously, Frances is probably one of my closest friends on tour.

And so, you know, playing either one of those guys would be pretty cool. I haven't played them both before. So, you know, it's two tough competitors. Yeah, I'm looking forward to it.

Q. Frances was talking about playing you. Was there any banter there about that potential matchup?
NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah. I mean, we've practiced a lot, but I think just ultimately because we're good mates. And he's got a massive future ahead, I think. He's exciting to watch. He's got a good game.

And, yeah, it would be nice to play him, but, you know, he's in a bit of a tough battle at the moment.

Q. Any thoughts on Ebden's year last year? Started on the wrong side of 500 and finished inside of 100. It's pretty rare, isn't it?
NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah. I didn't even know that he started outside 500. You know, he's always had potential to be a very good player. He's a great athlete.

You know, I think confidence goes a long way in this sport. I think if he gets a bit of confidence, with his game style, he's tough to beat.

And, you know, I saw the rankings the end of last year and, you know, I saw him inside the 100, and I didn't even know what he had been playing or anything. So, obviously, he found some form towards the end of year, which is great.

I think the more Aussies we have doing well, the better it is for all of us.

Q. Is this a tournament here that you look forward to? A lot of players when it's a home crowd, they feel a bit of extra pressure. How do you look at it?
NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah, of course, it's pressure. I feel like there's pressure on me wherever I go. You know, I'm always expected to do well.

But, yeah, I mean, I know what you mean. Coming to Australia, we all obviously want to do well in our back yard, but for me it's just another week. I know you can have five, six terrible weeks, and you can have one good weeks and it turns around your whole year.

So you got to keep things in perspective. If you don't do well here, you can't let it affect the rest of the year.

Q. There's a lot of question marks around the top guys. How much do you follow that and does that sort of change the vibe in the room at all, the uncertainty from the bigger contenders out there?
NICK KYRGIOS: I don't know. I haven't been really reading into it. You know, I'm not sure about any of the top guys, really. I'm sure they'll be okay, though. I think they'll probably all be there, I think. I have no idea.

I mean, I saw Andy here. I'm assuming he's playing. There's been a lot of question marks about Rafa playing, whatever. So I think they'll be okay.

Q. We often ask the senior players what they think about the length of the season and what would be ideal. And I wanted to ask a 22-year old player, top 30 player, what do you think is optimum sort of schedule in terms of, you know, impact on players' health?
NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah, I mean, I was talking about it the other day to Matt Rigg. You know, he's a doubles player. He was on the tour for a little bit.

And I don't know. I just think -- I don't know why we don't have more tournaments in Australia. I think, you know, people would be more than willing to come back here, you know, throughout the year, I think. I'm not too sure.

But for us in Australia, I mean, I was on the road for four months last year and that's, you know, pretty tough. Obviously, I want to spend time with my family, but you can't. You got to stay on the road.

But I don't know. Like, we have three tournaments here, I think, a 250, 500, and a Grand Slam, and I think you look at guys from America and in Europe, they have so many tournaments.

And I think for us Australians, I think we're a bit disadvantaged in that way being away from home for so long.

But I think the season is too long, yeah. I would love to have more time at home, but that's just my personality. But for the guys that love to travel around and play every week, then I'm not too sure.

But I'm sure you would find a lot of guys sitting on my side of the fence as well, that we would prefer to have -- I mean, I always look forward to some time off.

Q. You've been open about having ups and downs with motivation. Where do you feel like you are head-wise heading into this year?
NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah, I'm feeling good. Obviously a new year, so not too much to go wrong just yet.

So, yeah, hopefully keep like that for as long as possible. I know there's going to be some ups and downs this year, but, you know, hopefully, you know, it gets better every year. I think I had some great moments last year and some tough ones as well, but hopefully, hopefully, things go right.

Q. With so many of the younger guys coming through last year like Shapovalov, Rublev, et cetera, do you know or feel that you're a little bit more of a senior player? That you're not part of that next generation, young group of players?
NICK KYRGIOS: Yes and no. I still know that in this game I'm pretty young, but I know that obviously, you know, guys were doing great things at my age as well.

I know that, you know, I'm getting older, and I do, yeah. Obviously, I love seeing these young guys come through. I think they've all got amazing games. Especially, I think, watching Shapovalov play Laver Cup, for me, he's really good.

You know, obviously, you know guys like Tiafoe, Rublev, these guys, they've all got game, and it's exciting for me to see them put it together. And, you know, I think they've all got massive potential.

But I don't know if I feel old. I mean, I'm -- yeah, I feel like I'm pretty young, yeah.

Q. You mentioned Laver Cup. Is that something that you would definitely be down to play?
NICK KYRGIOS: 100%. 100%. You know, that event for me was the best event, like, one of the best events I've ever been a part of.

But, you know, I would just love tennis to be more of a team sport. Obviously, that's not realistic at all. But the more of that stuff there is, I think the funner it is for tennis. And I think for the crowd it's more entertaining as well. I thought that week was a massive success.

Q. Have you had a chance to see the film "Battle of the Sexes"?
NICK KYRGIOS: No. What is that?

Q. It's about Billie Jean King played Bobby Riggs.
NICK KYRGIOS: Oh. I don't think I've seen it.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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