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BRISBANE INTERNATIONAL PRESENTED BY SUNCORP

January 5, 2018

Grigor Dimitrov

Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

G. DIMITROV/K. Edmund

6-3, 6-7, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. That was a pretty impressive leap over the net there. Did you do hurdles at school or something?
GRIGOR DIMITROV: Yeah. They were just telling me how close you were to the net. And I was like, actually, I do.

You know, it's tough, obviously, what happened. Little unfortunate, that's for sure. But, I mean, I would have reacted like this whoever I was playing against. So this is just my instinct, my reaction, to do that right away.

So, yeah, I hope he gets better. I think that's the most important thing leading up to the Aussie Open.

Q. Quite a few straight wins here now, isn't it? What is it about Brisbane that you like so much?
GRIGOR DIMITROV: Well, everything. I mean, I wish I could have finished the match in straight sets if it was up to me.

But, I mean, I like playing out here. I think every start in Australia is so important, and I like starting my year here.

So I think it's just another step for me to move forward, to prepare for what's ahead. And, of course, I want to defend my title. I mean, I feel good playing out there on that court. It feels comfortable for me. So I just want to capitalize on that as much as possible.

Q. How much sleep do you get tonight? The turnaround is pretty harsh, isn't it.
GRIGOR DIMITROV: Well, yeah, but it is what it is. What can I do?

I think, yeah, last night I went to bed really, really, really late. Yeah, 3:15, 3:20. So, I mean, at least I could sleep.

Tonight is a little bit different. I'm definitely going to try to do things a little bit faster and also get enough sleep. I think if you have the necessary hours then it's kind of all right. Obviously, the whole routine messes up. But, in the same time, it's those little obstacles that you need to overcome and readjust when you have to play.

And I think once you manager to do all that, this is where also the experience comes.

Q. Do you feel as if you're still on a high, on a roll from the end of last season?
GRIGOR DIMITROV: No. I mean, after London I just felt like I've done something really good for my own. And I just wanted to get out on the court again, because I still feel there's quite a few things I can improve and get better at.

So that was my main goal coming off that offseason. That's why I didn't take that much time off, to be honest. I took about a week off and, right after, I wanted to just get on the court and start trying new things, trying to get better also physically.

And so, yeah, I mean, and right now I don't think about it, to be honest, anymore. It's just something in the past. Of course, I cherish it, and I'm trying to rekindle that moment in my head when I'm down in the match to kind of -- I've been there, done that. So that helps me for sure to dig deep down.

And so far I'm not playing my best tennis that I know. But in the same time, I think my positivity and my fighting spirit is where I want it to be. And from now on it can get only better.

Q. I know there's still a couple more matches to go here but with a week and a bit to go until the Australian Open, some people will talk of you as a contender. Do you feel like one?
GRIGOR DIMITROV: Yeah, I mean, but contender, everybody -- we see what happened last year at the Open. Everybody can play tennis. Simple as that.

It's how you going to manage those matches, those warm days, your opponents. You know, someone can just, you know, catch on fire and play an unbelievable, best three sets of his life.

So I don't like to think that way. I just want to take one match at a time, one opponent at a time, because I think that's the only way to kind of build up. And, yeah, with each match you kind of get in a good rhythm, and hopefully I'm going to be able to do that.

But right now I'm here. I'm trying to focus on tomorrow's match, and hopefully I get to play one more after that. So this is my No. 1 priority. I don't see this tournament as just a warmup for me. Every match matters a lot and I just want to win.

And, yeah, I think I'm doing the right things so far. After that week, I'm going to -- we're going to, actually, with the team reassess what needs to be done, where we need to brush up, and how we're going to start our campaign at the Aussie.

Q. Nick Kyrgios said before that he can turn it on and off like a tap, his ability on the court. What is it like playing against a guy that can do that?
GRIGOR DIMITROV: Yeah, absolutely he can. He can do everything pretty much out there on the court. I just got to be ready all the time. Simple as that. You just never know what can come from him.

But, again, I think obviously he's one of the most talented players out there. It's without a doubt. I mean, he can serve, hit every shot, hits the spots, slice. Even moving better.

So he's definitely a challenger. He has proven even himself, I think, last year playing quite a few good matches, getting to the final. We played against each other in Cincinnati. I mean, he has everything to beat anyone and he has proven that.

So, yeah, I'm not going to take that match just easily. I'm just going to do my stuff and take care of my side of the court.

Q. What did you make of the way he went from that first set to the second set today? It was like a tap.
GRIGOR DIMITROV: Well, as he said, I can turn it on and off, right?

So I guess you turn it on and, you know, second and third set he just played a different game. He was a different player. So, I mean, obviously he knows what to do. So it's not that he's learning or anything.

So I guess he's using that kind of maybe strategy or something in a different way that helps him, kind of like pushes him to be better in and out the match. So, as I said, that's his way.

And again, I can control what I can control on my side. The rest, I don't know.

Q. Back in the '50s and '60s, guys used to jump over the net all the time when they would win Grand Slam.
GRIGOR DIMITROV: Yeah, I remember that.

Q. We don't see that often anymore. How many times have you jumped over the net?
GRIGOR DIMITROV: Well, sometimes when I'm off the court, like, I'm doing a track, and it's just a little bit higher than the net.

So, yeah, I know the height is pretty -- I know the height pretty well. And I don't know. You're right, though. I remember some of those matches where people were just jumping over the net.

I'm not sure the net was the same height, though, back then. I don't know why. It looks a bit different now.

Q. Were you afraid when you were airborne that you might not make it?
GRIGOR DIMITROV: No, no, no. Not at all. That's why, like, my physio, he goes, You know you were pretty close from the net.

I was like, I knew you were going to say that, but I just know exactly where to jump and I know how high I can jump.

He says, Yeah, but you were probably a little bit tired.

I know I was not as fresh as a daisy, but I mean, I know -- I know the proximity.

Q. And you just didn't want to go around.
GRIGOR DIMITROV: I felt I didn't have time. As I said, it was just such an instinct for me that I didn't think, Okay, I'm just going to go around the net, or I'm going to go that post or this post. It was just like such a natural instinct for me to go and jump over.

Yeah, I do it sometimes at practice just for fun and all that, but obviously it was different circumstances today.

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