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AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 19, 2018

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

N. KYRGIOS/J. Tsonga

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

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What happened when you got heated up in the third set?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: Yeah, because on the set point, in between the first serve and the second, the guy was talking to me and telling me, You are under pressure now, you are under pressure now, when I was bouncing my balls. That's it. I lost it and I drive a little bit crazy.

You know, it's not fair. It's not fair. But, yeah, that's it. The guy was feeling safe because he was, you know, upstairs. I just tell him, Come now to see if you feel the pressure or not. That's it.

But nothing really important.

Q. Do you feel like critical moments in the tiebreaker were so tight, a slim difference?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: Yeah, basically today I would say I did a good match. I mean, not I did a good match. I played good tennis. But I didn't do a good match because on the big moments, I was not there. I didn't play good tennis on the big point. That's what I need to go to the next level, is to be more consistent on the big moment.

So many times I have opportunities, I have possibility to lead and take the score. Yeah, I don't do it. So, yeah, that's where I can, you know, improve a lot I think. Of course, there is always something technically to make better. Yeah, today I think we can resume this match like this.

Q. When you were serving at 5-2 in the tiebreaker, Nick said afterwards he was already preparing the fifth set. What were you thinking when you had the two serves?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: No, I was focused on the game. I missed a backhand, then I went to the net not in a really bad condition, but he play a passing shot and he touch the net. It's good play. What I can say?

Then he was solid, no, nothing to say.

Q. You had a nice embrace with him at the end, a bit of a laugh, a bit of a cuddle. What was said in that moment?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: No, I just tell him congratulations, just make it, just make it. It's good, you know. I mean, he play good match today. Why not play even better in the next round.

Q. Were you aware of his comments he made in the buildup, going to watch you train throughout the 2008 Australian Open, taking a tennis ball for you to sign every day. He said you were a big idol of his. Were you aware of that?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: Yeah, I know that because he's on the tour now since a long time. I played him already in smaller tournaments. Yeah, I knew all of this.

It's great. For me personally, it's grateful for me, I think. It means that I touch some guys when they were young, and they want to become player like me. I inspire some of them. You know, it's grateful.

Q. Do you feel Nick is playing a more mature brand of tennis?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: I don't know. Maybe ask him. Ask him. But I hope not. I hope for him it's going to be even better than me. He's a good player, yeah.

Q. Was your knee giving you any problem?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: No, no. No, no. Nothing. I just hit my knee with my racquet two times in a row (smiling). That's very painful, but nothing it cause like this. No problem.

Q. How far do you think Nick can go in this tournament looking ahead?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: To be honest, for the moment he's still building his game. I think he still needs time to improve. With his game already, he can do some damage. We never know.

The most important in tennis I think is to believe in it. I think he's got it. So that is the most important. After that, he need, of course, like everybody, he need to work. I mean, like us. I'm 33 -- 32, sorry, soon 33. But it's like me. I'm a tennis player and I'll always want to do better. Even if I'm 33, I want to go, I want to continue to improve and be a better player. Always to be at this level, you need to think like this, otherwise you don't play Australian Open.

He has got it. Yeah, we will see how it goes for him. But anyway, it's already a good player.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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