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BNP PARIBAS OPEN

March 14, 2018

Borna Coric

Indian Wells, California

B. CORIC/T. Fritz

6-2, 6-7, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. It was a big battle against Taylor and the wind. Yourself, you must be proud that you got it together in the end.
BORNA CORIC: Yes. You know, it was not easy. You know, I think in the first set I was playing great. I was playing aggressive. You know, it was quite easy first set.

Then the wind came. You know, it changed my momentum a lot. I felt like he was coming into the match, and I could not swing so freely anymore. You know, I just felt like he's much closer now, you know, and I was just trying -- I was just trying to hold on.

You know, on the 4-3 he played a very good game. And then when I broke him back with 30-Love, even on the 5-3, I thought I had the match, and, I mean, pretty much I did have the match.

But, you know, that's the tennis, you know. Those kind of things happen. I didn't do anything wrong, I think, you know, I missed. But, you know, I was going for the right shots. I was aggressive. You know, I just missed that easy forehand on 4-1.

But at the end of the day, that's the tennis. And I knew, you know, in the third set it's a completely new set. Doesn't mean anything that I lost that second set, you know. I lost the break, also, in the very early -- it was not easy to play from that side, because there was wind coming from there.

It was very tricky, definitely, no? But I'm just very happy with the win.

Q. What kind of attitude to you bring when you're playing on a windy day?
BORNA CORIC: Just the attitude that you don't care how you play. It's not going to be nice. You're not going to play like I played against Bautista, for sure, because it's not possible.

You just go out there. You fight and you just try to win, you know, just however you know. That's it. You know, you're happy with the win, not the way you played. Of course I'm not happy with the way I played last two sets, but I think no one is going to play great today, you know.

Q. Do you feel that your confidence showed in the end? You were a break down in the serve but you came back. Do you think all those previous matches helped you at this moment?
BORNA CORIC: Yes, definitely. No, definitely gave me more confidence to be more aggressive and to step up and to go for the shots. I think at the end that's why I won. You know, I went for my shots. You know, in the 5-4, 30-Love for him, I went for backhand down the line and stuff like that. So at the end, yes, definitely.

But I think this match got me through my very good attitude and that I stayed calm. It was very, very tough second set. It was, you know, ups and downs and set points, the tiebreak. I could already be in my room watching Netflix, you know, and I was out there, you know, playing on that wind and that sun.

Again, you know, you just need to fight.

Q. So you're finally confident again right now over the last 10 days? It's been a tough start to the year, but now it seems like you're very confident.
BORNA CORIC: No, I wouldn't say it was tough start of the year. I thought it was pretty good start of the year, to be honest. I lost one bad match. I was not happy with that match in Australia. In Doha, I played very well. I thought, you know, that actually Andrey, he beat me 6-3, 7-5, but he was the better player on that day. He was playing unbelievable in my opinion and he was the better player. I could not say that I was playing bad.

In Australia, I was playing bad. On Davis Cup, I played great. In Dubai, I played very good. And now here also very good. Also, in November, I was playing very good. So it's been very positive last few months for me, you know.

Q. So more aggressive, is that how you changed it?
BORNA CORIC: Yeah, that's very general, you know, but yes, if you look at it in that way. Yes, I'm trying to be more aggressive. Of course, like I said today, it was not easy, you know. Today you just fight, you just play however you know, and that's it.

But on the nice conditions when I feel good, yeah, I'm trying to be more aggressive. I'm trying to go more for the shots.

Q. So we know that players change coaches all the time, but you have changed your coach, your agent, your physio. That's a pretty big, bold move. Talk about that. Was there some specific events? And also, are you happy with that? Do you think it's impacted you on court?
BORNA CORIC: Well, you know, I mean, I said it many times. You know, I was on the same place for last three years or two-and-a-half years. I was there between 40 and 50, you know. I think I can be better than that. Actually, I hope, you know.

So obviously I needed to change something, you know. And, you know, I cannot -- I can change myself, but I cannot fire myself. I just decided to change my whole team, you know, I had that opportunity, and I thought it's a very clever move.

With Ivan being my manager and kind of a mentor, Riccardo Piatti, with Kristijan Schneider, with the whole team. I always, you know, thought that's a very good team, and we are very good team, definitely.

We have been working great. It's been very good last few months. We had a lot of trainings, very good weeks of the trainings. In the past I did not have so much, and I think, you know, it's a huge benefit for me.

Q. It's helped you?
BORNA CORIC: Yes.

Q. Most of us are going to write "Borna Coric is back." Do you feel like you're back? Do you feel a relief seeing this is the kind of tennis that's inside you?
BORNA CORIC: Well, you know, I wouldn't want you to write "Borna Coric is back." I'm not back yet. But, you know, it's very good tournament for me now. It was very good tournament in Dubai for me, as well. So definitely I played some good tennis.

But like I said, you know, again, doesn't mean I'm going to play good in Miami or I'm going to play good tomorrow. Like you seen today, it was not a great performance today. Again, you know, it's always ups and downs, and, you know, there is going to be more of it. I'm aware of it.

So let's see how the next few months go and then I will tell you if -- I mean, you can write whatever you want, but, I mean, if I'm okay with that, maybe I can tell -- I will tell you that I'm back so you can write it even more (smiling).

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