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BRISBANE INTERNATIONAL PRESENTED BY SUNCORP

January 3, 2018

Nick Kyrgios

Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

N. KYRGIOS/M. Ebden

6-7, 7-6, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Was there any point in that match where you felt like you weren't going to get to the end of the match?
NICK KYRGIOS: No. You know, I had been feeling pretty good coming into the tournament. I've been doing a lot of good work.

And then a couple days out I was playing some points with Lleyton and then I kind of felt my knee a bit and been kind of nursing it the last day or two but didn't really know what it was.

And had a bit of fluid in there a couple days leading up to the singles. So didn't really know what it was, but it wasn't really -- it doesn't really hurt me when I move. Just when I'm kind of straightening my leg.

So I knew that, you know, it was going to be a tough battle today. First match of the year. Obviously a bit rusty, but I'm just happy to get through it.

But I'm sure it will be fine.

Q. Looked like you had a couple of different configurations of tape on it. Did the third one do the trick or was it just because you were more warmed up?
NICK KYRGIOS: I just told him to strap it as much as he can so I couldn't straighten it, and obviously it helped a little bit.

Q. You said you had some fluid on the knee. Was that because of the consultation with the doctor last couple days?
NICK KYRGIOS: Just in the physio. They just noticed I had a bit of fluid in the back of my knee compared to my right knee.

And it kind of just flared up, I guess, doing something. But I can't remember actually having an incident, so I'm sure I'll be fine.

Q. So manageable through to middle of January?
NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah, of course. Yeah.

Q. How do you rate your game aside from that? He got a lot of balls back and makes it tough.
NICK KYRGIOS: I knew it was going to be a tough match. Obviously, he's won a lot of matches over the last couple of months. I think he's won 10 of his last 12 or something. So he's obviously feeling pretty good.

Yeah, I mean, it took me a while to get used to playing a match again. I've been training here for so long and training on center court, it kind of didn't feel like a match to start. And, obviously, having great memories here earlier in the year playing the United States where things were a little bit more nerve-racking and I could definitely feel the pressure.

But the longer the match went, the better I played, the looser I got. And I knew it was going to be tough day today. He's a tough competitor.

Q. You and Andy have had a pretty good relationship over a fair while. What did you make of the sad news yesterday that he's got to pull out of this tournament and is pretty much in doubt for Melbourne as well?
NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah, it's pretty sad. I think he's definitely a fan favorite. He brings a lot of the people to all these tournaments. And he's a good friend of mine. And it's just sad seeing him, you know, a guy like that getting injured. Because you saw him at Wimbledon struggling and, obviously, been struggling ever since. And it sucks, you know, seeing him not being able to get it right. He's been rehabbing now for almost five months.

And it's never good seeing a guy like that get injured, especially because, you know, he's just good for the sport. He's a good guy as well.

So I don't know what he's going to do. I don't know. I'm not an expert, but hopefully he can get better.

Q. Did you see him at all while he was here?
NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah, I saw him a couple of times. He was actually trying to organize a hit for me at 8:00 a.m. And I was like, Andy, I'm not going to make that hit. (Laughter.)

But I offered him 9:00. I thought 9:00 is pretty good. And then he said 8:00, and I was like, No. You're going to have to find someone else. And I saw him the next day and he told me he pulled out, so the laughter didn't last very long.

But, I mean, hopefully -- I don't know. I don't know what he's going to do.

Q. You've had your own hip problems. You must feel particular sympathy with him.
NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah. It's not comfortable. And it definitely affects especially a guy like that who relies on his movement and athleticism so much.

I think he's one of the best athletes the game has ever seen. And he's going to have to get his hip right to get to the top of the sport again, and hopefully he can do it.

Q. Were you quite struck by Andy's emotional post on Instagram?
NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah. You know, he tends to rip me a little bit on Instagram. I was going to maybe take a low blow at the picture, but, nah, I thought it was a good time to maybe show some sympathy.

But, yeah, it was emotional. I read the whole thing. And obviously a lot of players commented as well because they all know that he's a great guy. And, you know, he's a guy that's always wondering how you are and how you're going. And I'm sure a lot of people want to see him back at the top of the game.

Q. Dolgopolov has played well here in the past. How do you match up with him?
NICK KYRGIOS: I played him last year in Cincinnati. I beat him there but it was a tough match. I remember it was very hot and similar conditions. Probably a little bit slower here. But he loves these conditions. I think he loves playing indoors, loves to be aggressive, and he's a tricky player.

You know, he's been on tour for a long time now. He definitely knows his way around the tennis court. So I know it's going to be tough, but I've got a big doubles match coming up with Matt Reid, so I'm not going to think about it right now.

Q. A lot of the top players travel with physios to almost every tournament.
NICK KYRGIOS: Yes.

Q. Does your resources for tennis extend to that yet?
NICK KYRGIOS: I have a physio. You know, he comes to Masters events and Grand Slams. But he's got his own thing going on and he's got a couple kids. So I will never be that person to kind of drag him away from his family.

But, yeah, I mean, it's probably an option that I may have to look for another guy to help me on the road at these smaller events as well, because it's very important to keep your body in good nick.

But, yeah, that's an option I'll probably look at.

Q. How much gym work did you do in the offseason?
NICK KYRGIOS: Me?

Q. Yeah. You've spoken before about it being an important part of staying fit and healthy.
NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah. I mean, I'm not the one you would find in the gym often, but I was doing a lot of rehab and stuff, just a lot of hip stuff. I've been given a hip program that I have to do pretty much every day and that's all I kind of do in the gym.

I was doing a lot of on-court hours and when I was training in Melbourne I was doing gym, rehab, and hitting almost four, five hours a day. And I felt good. And then just something like this to flare-up, it's a bit disappointing, but happy to get through and hopefully I can manage it.

Q. You want to try to avoid hip surgery.
NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah, I don't think anyone ever really wants to get cut open. That's the absolute last resort. You don't really know the success rate of anything like that. So it's tough. It's very scary.

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