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AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 27, 2018

Dylan Alcott

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

D. ALCOTT/D. Wagner

7-6, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How are you feeling?
DYLAN ALCOTT: Feeling awesome. Four in a row. Pretty good start. It's been a big couple days, big two weeks, really. Crazy two weeks. I was pretty glad I could top it off with a win. David played really well. In particular in the first set it was pretty close.

Yeah, just huge two weeks capped off perfectly. The support of Australia and the media and the press, it's just been, you know, it's like becoming normal now, the coverage, which is what I always wanted.

It's not, like, weird, you know what I mean? It's just so great to be part of.

Q. Being out there on Rod Laver Arena not only today but also last night, prime time. Obviously for Hyeon Chung it didn't work out so well, but it seemed to work out perfectly for you last night.
DYLAN ALCOTT: Yeah, it was incredible. I think it was a perfect storm. I have a knack of doing that in my life, don't I? You make your own luck. I believe that. You put yourself in situations.

When Chung pulled out, it was, What are we going to do? They could have put mixed doubles on, but it's great to know I have the trust of not only Tennis Australia but 7 network saying, No, no, we want Dylan. We want to put on Heath and Dylan. 10 years ago I could have paid Channel 7 a million dollars to put it on and they would have said no. Paid them.

And for them to go, No, that's what we want, to stick with it, to commentate it, to treat it like an Australian Open match, and the first three change of ends, 10,000 people started to watch. That's crazy stuff.

Yeah, I went to bed last night. I actually couldn't sleep. That was pretty cool. I want to top it off tomorrow. Again, to get on Rod Laver, for Tennis Australia to open the gates for ground passes to get in and for, you know, another couple thousand people to come watch, it's just -- you know, I lost sleep thinking about how awesome that stuff is.

Hopefully things like maybe next year or the year after, after one of their quarterfinals, rather than have a Legends doubles match or an exhibition, they might put on a wheelchair match on the schedule. You never know. Things like that. That's just chipping away and changing perceptions.

Q. Four in a row. They might have to give you that real trophy to take home.
DYLAN ALCOTT: Yeah, I might have to steal it. I will just put it under my chair. No one will notice. It's bloody heavy, though, isn't it, Vic?

I do love this trophy. It's beautiful. It's just been so, you know, a whirlwind five, six years. A lot of hard work. But the best decision I ever made was coming back to tennis. I love playing basketball, but it's changed my life.

Now I think it's starting to change the lives of some over people, as well. That's what I've always wanted to do, get people out of their homes and playing sport, being comfortable with their disabilities and things like that. Sports is a great medium to do that, I think. I don't do it for that reason. I do it because I love playing tennis. And I train and I work hard, but, you know, so many kids with disabilities were there today in the stands. It was packed. It's so cool. So awesome. Even the young dud who flipped the coin. It's so awesome.

Q. You were saying how good three felt. Four, I would imagine, feels pretty good. Do they feel different?
DYLAN ALCOTT: Four, this has been -- it felt a bit more like Rio in the fact that I felt a little bit more relieved, as well, because of the ANZ ad, Will Smith buildup, Rod Laver last night. If I choked, I would have felt really flat, because this is the icing on the perfect two weeks.

I saw a tweet last night, it was something like if anyone's stocks have risen, it's been huge for Dylan Alcott. I got a bit nervous. It has been a big two weeks. A lot of people have supported me, so I felt like I was pretty happy to win that one. Last year was a bonus. This year was -- and I also probably -- I got pumped at the US Open, like, 1 and 2, embarrassed, and it was unfeared. I was doing too much radio and all this stuff.

I worked really hard to get ready for this one. A lot of 6:00 a.m. boxing and this kind of stuff, to be able to put into the game today and win pretty easy in the end, I was happy.

Q. How did the ANZ deal happen? Did you go to the headquarters and say this has to happen?
DYLAN ALCOTT: Yeah. I hired super agent Mark Jones, who is in the back of the room. No, no.

ANZ, I was an ambassador last year, a small deal, but I did a lot of corporate speaking and motivational talks throughout ANZ and things like that. I just planted the seed with them ages ago. They listened, and I said, If you want to take a risk, like, you don't have to -- you could do any commercial, whatever, if you wanted to.

My manager, Mark, was incredible with that. I have to say in 2015, when I joined their stable, they have Danny Ricciardo, James Magnussen, Scottie James, big athletes. They spent time on me, and I had no -- I didn't have any big partners. For them to go in there and go, Dylan is our guy, trust us, and they did, look what's come out of that.

Those deals don't exist in the paralympic world. You know, what I mean? Like, that's new ground, as it should be, in my opinion. For me to go out there and go, Oh, a million people watched me on TV last night, how many eyes were on that game, that gives them return on their investment. That makes me feel good.

It's not a handout. It's not that I feel good about them sponsoring the little disabled guy. They chose, of all the tennis players in the world, able-bodied or not, to sponsor me. To be able to give back to that is powerful, and hopefully the next generation of young athletes with disabilities it's easier for them because of things like this.

Sponsors, partners, even the bloody local milk bar, I'll give you a thousand bucks. Simple stuff, because they know they will go somewhere because they have seen it now.

I meant what I said about ANZ. It's meant the world to me, but it meant the world to a lot of people with disabilities. I have had thousands of messages from parents who said it's changed their own perception of their kids and it gives their kids hope of what they want to do and people with disabilities themselves just by a 30-second ad.

They don't mention I'm disabled, do they? They don't mention I'm in a wheelchair. They just say we are a supporter of Dylan Alcott. That's the most important thing.

Q. Do you like egg sandwiches?
DYLAN ALCOTT: Love them. Love them. Just straight A.

Q. There is quite a few Gordon Reid standard backhands coming out again today.
DYLAN ALCOTT: My backhand is way better than Gordon's. What are you talking about?

Q. Have you managed to speak to Heath and check out his Instagram story and apologize to him?
DYLAN ALCOTT: No, I haven't said anything to Heath yet. I gave him a shot out in my speech and the big jerk wasn't there.

Q. He was.
DYLAN ALCOTT: No, he left. He was in the match but he wasn't there for the speech. I was going to give him a shoutout and everybody clapping. He wasn't there. Missed a chance, Mate.

Yeah, last night probably the scoreline didn't go to plan for him in particular, you know. Could have been a better match, but I was so proud of him, because I have been on Rod Laver before. I have won a singles gold. I have done that before. He hadn't. It was like baptism by fire, and he handled it very well. I was really proud of him.

I could have played anyone in the draw, and it so happened that the day that Chung pulled out, the timing, rain delay, happened to be with Heath. How good is that? Great to be able to do that. I really do love him and he's come a long way.

Q. What else do you want to achieve this year both on the court and off?
DYLAN ALCOTT: I have had a pretty good run this year. I might go for Prime Minister. Just kidding.

I mean, Wimbledon, we were in Wimbledon for the first time, even though just exhibition, and slapping on the old whites is a dream of mine, so I cannot -- to say that I cannot wait is "the" biggest understatement of my life.

I think we deserve to be there. Look at the last couple of days, crowds. I know a lot of people in England so they will come, so it will be sweet.

You know, obviously the slams and things like that, I really want to get us into Roland Garros. They are still dragging their heels a bit which is annoying for the court division. So we have to get them in.

Proof is in the pudding. People want to watch. Just give us a chance, and I promise we won't disappoint.

The other big thing is I have got my own company called get Get Skilled Access where we train corporates and governments to better understand people with disabilities, and every single one of our employees and trainers are disabled. Actually using Australian paralympians as trainers, for the most part, which is awesome. And also I have started my own foundation called the Dylan Alcott Foundation to fund kids like me who hated the fact they were disabled and embarrassed about their disability, eliminate some of those barriers to achieve what they want to achieve. Scholarships, grants, mentoring to become the next No. 1 wheelchair tennis player or to get a scholarship to become a doctor, become a famous pianist, I don't really care. Whatever they want to do, I want to help them. I can't wait to start raising some money for that.

Q. Before today, most consecutive Australian Open titles across any format of the game was three, Novak Djokovic.
DYLAN ALCOTT: Was it?

Q. You have passed him. What do you think about that?
DYLAN ALCOTT: I'm happy about that. That's cool. That's awesome. I didn't know that. That's a nice one. Thank you for that.

Q. You have one more to catch Roy.
DYLAN ALCOTT: I'm coming for Roy. Love you, Roy. That's awesome.

I didn't know that. Four? If you think about what you were doing four years ago, it's a long time ago, isn't it, like if everyone stops. To be able to win those four -- I just love the Australian Open. I play so well here. I don't know why.

I get nervous, it's hard, but it pumps you up and I'm lucky that -- I struggled when I'm on court, 21 and no one's there. I struggled with those matches more so than the big matches, which is definitely the way you want it to be, I think, which is lucky. I don't know an answer to that, but I enjoy it out here.

Q. How do you deal with the pressure?
DYLAN ALCOTT: I just try and, you know, just routines, mindfulness, just -- you know what? That all helps, but I just try and have fun. I didn't have fun earlier in this week as much as I had fun today. You could tell. I took my time and I had a bloody good time, and that calms me down. Just enjoy it because not everyone gets to play on, you know, Rocket Rod Laver Arena, fighting for a Grand Slam for their country.

Q. Could you get used to Hawk-Eye all the time?
DYLAN ALCOTT: Well, what's the point? Because I'm so shit at it. I'm just horrible. It's awesome, Mate. Maybe because we are lower in wheelchairs, when it comes to the baseline, because we can't see the line as well as you guys, I'm, like, adamant that's close. Last night I challenged. It was close. It was inside the line.

I was, like, I was sure about it. Then I said to Heath last night -- we play practice sets once a week, I said, you and I must cheat each other so much and not mean to. You know, what I mean? Man, I call those out on you sometimes, and that was well in. I think next week I'm going to be like, In, in, in, in, in, Mate. All the time.

Q. What next? Last year you sat here and said beers are on me.
DYLAN ALCOTT: Going to do that right now, me and my friends. Anyone want to come? Coopers? I'm going to go see my friends. Have to.

And then, yeah, just -- I know they have a big party. I'm pretty stuffed. It's been a big week. I'm just super proud, to be honest. I feel like a bit like not as pumped, just, I guess proud of myself. It's hard to back it up and up and up, especially mentally, because all the other tournaments we play on like this, they're out in the country town of Japan and there's sometimes six people there or whatever. That's tough for me.

You know, I really want to be changing lives and enjoying my life and things like that. To really train and get up early and do all that, it's all because of these and gold medals, in my opinion. That's what motivates me. To not let it slip like I did at the US Open, feels great.

Q. When you're with your friends, do they ever get a word in edge-wise? Seems like you're...
DYLAN ALCOTT: It's a press conference. You ask me questions (smiling).

No, yeah, like, that whole -- opposite where I was sitting, change of ends, that whole section, I knew every person in there. That's not exaggerating. They all sat together. 500 to 1000 people, that section. I knew every one of them.

I'm so lucky to have a big, huge group of friends. They come every year. You can't lose when they're there.

In all seriousness, I do harp on about this stuff, but I remember when I won the even Beijing gold medal and I got four words in the Bayside Leader, which is a local paper, and I was stoked, but that's all you could get. So to the media, thank you so much for supporting me. But paralympians, disabled athletes, to get on their second back page of The Age or to be on Channel 7 or the news or whatever, all those articles, like, means the world to me, but please keep doing it for other athletes, other people with disabilities, because they are out there doing awesome stuff, and the reason you should, as you can tell, the public now care about it. They really want to read it, and it means so much to me.

Everyone in the room, I really do appreciate it. Thank you.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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