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FEVER-TREE CHAMPIONSHIP

June 18, 2018

Nick Kyrgios

London, England

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How is your body feeling after the three matches in Stuttgart?
NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah, I feel good. Obviously I was a bit nervous to go out there my first match and see how my elbow was.

Yeah, I feel my elbow is fine and I played three quality matches in Stuttgart. Obviously pretty disappointed I didn't win against Roger but it was a good match. Yeah, it was a good week.

Q. How much confidence do you take out of that?
NICK KYRGIOS: A lot. You know, I played two tough lefties the first couple rounds, but to play Lopez my first tournament back on grass, you know, obviously he's pretty good on grass, won this event last year, and to beating him and obviously was in complete control against Roger in the third-set tiebreak at one stage, I'm feeling confident. I'm feeling good my level is still there.

Q. Are you feeling fresh? You haven't played that many matches since April.
NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah, I don't know if I feel fresh. I was still traveling around. It's not like I was at home training. You know, I was traveling to these tournaments. I had no one at home to train with.

Traveling around and not playing, you know, it wasn't ideal. You know, I wouldn't want to do it again. Yeah, I feel good.

Q. Can you just confirm on the elbow, it's perfectly okay now?
NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah, I have zero pain now.

Q. What did you think when you saw the draw?
NICK KYRGIOS: I just smiled, obviously (smiling). I'm excited. Obviously one of my better mates on tour.

It's just good to see him back ultimately. I think it's been pretty shitty without him. I'm looking forward to going out there and playing. But to see him healthy is obviously the main thing. You know, I think he's awesome for the sport.

Q. You both had a similar sort of injury. Did you keep in touch?
NICK KYRGIOS: I don't know if the hip and elbow are similar, but, yeah, I mean, we kept in touch a little bit. But he's a busy man. The last thing he wants is to see me blowing up his phone. Probably can't take me seriously (smiling).

Yeah, as I said, he probably had a lot to deal with and a lot of decisions to make. Yeah, it's just good to see him back.

Q. We know how well you two get on, but tomorrow on the court, will it be business only? You have to be ruthless out there?
NICK KYRGIOS: Oh, I don't know if it's business only and ruthless. I don't know if I ever have that mentality.

I'm going to go out there and play like I always play. I want to serve big and play big and try and win. You know, I'm going to go out there and do the same thing. If I win, I win. If I lose, I lose.

Q. You practiced next to him today. Did you have a look? What are you expecting from him tomorrow?
NICK KYRGIOS: I don't know. I don't really know. What I always expect from him. Obviously I know he's going to make a lot of balls. He loves playing on grass.

You know, I obviously know how he plays. I watched a little of him today in practice. He looked fine. That's it.

Q. You said it's not necessarily your nature to be kind of ruthless or pure business. Is it sometimes the case for you, kind of the way you approach a match is affected by your feelings for the person on the other side of the net? Is that what you are saying?
NICK KYRGIOS: No. I don't know. I mean, that's a good question (smiling).

I don't know. I don't know how to answer that.

Q. Clearly you have a match, like the Roger match in Stuttgart, it's a great occasion. I guess this is going to be similar. We're pretty focused on this match tomorrow. Do you feel like it's going to be a good event?
NICK KYRGIOS: For sure, it's going to be a good match. Even against Roger I just had a lot of fun when I was out there. There were early points in the match where we were both laughing and enjoying ourselves.

I mean, obviously I'm going to go out there and win tomorrow, like, I want to win. Don't get me wrong. But I'm not going to not have fun or not enjoy myself at the same time.

Q. Compared to where you were 12 months ago, you seem in a god place. Pain-free? Happy?
NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah, this time last year I was actually painfree. I rehabbed for, like, a good two weeks and ended up slipping over in my match.

I was in the same position here last year. So hopefully that doesn't happen tomorrow, I won't slip over or fall over or something like that.

I feel good. I played a couple good matches and I feel good.

Q. Have you shown him your best? You have a Love-5 head-to-head record. Do you think he has seen you at your best in the matches you have played?
NICK KYRGIOS: Definitely not early on. When I played him in like Toronto and stuff like that -- I mean, I don't know. Early in my career, probably not. I wasn't as confident back then as I was now.

I mean, last time I played him I think it was in maybe US Open, I think. I don't know how long ago that was. I mean, I played all right there.

I don't know. I was only 21, so I'm assuming my best wasn't at 21. You know, hopefully I've still got some more to show him. Maybe tomorrow we'll see.

Yeah, I don't think so. Hopefully not. I mean, on stats, your prime is 28. Easy enough to be playing for another couple years, I guess.

Q. I didn't see all your matches in Stuttgart, by any means, but I saw social media and highlights and hot-dogging it and stuff like that. Is that still part of the thing that makes you enjoy the game, and would you be afraid to do that tomorrow?
NICK KYRGIOS: Well, apparently I'm not going to win Wimbledon doing that (winking).

Yeah, I mean, I don't know. I just do it because it's fun. I don't know. I have always been like that. I have always just played on instinct when I was young. I don't do it just to, like, crowd-please or something. I just do it because it feels -- it's what I want to do out there.

Q. You probably pushed Roger harder than anybody else last week. What's your verdict on how he's looking at the moment?
NICK KYRGIOS: I mean, he just looks efficient. He looks so comfortable on the grass. I have never played anyone with a better sort of serve and first ball, especially on the grass.

He just takes all the time away and he seems so relaxed. His block return on his backhand side is money. Yeah, he just looks relaxed. He looks in form. The last couple of months wasn't from injury for him. He's just been chilling out and getting ready for this grass season. He's very dangerous at the moment.

Q. What are your thoughts about Queen's as a place and as a tournament? Is it always good to come back here?
NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah, it's fun. I have never won a round here and I continually come back here for some reason, which is strange.

Yeah, I guess I just like the house sort of environment and my team being close by. You know, it just feels like home, I guess. It's a home away from home. It's an easy tournament. It's awesome to play here. Yeah, it's good.

Q. I'm sure you were joking, but watching your practice, I heard you shout, "Can't do it anymore." Just wondering what you couldn't do?
NICK KYRGIOS: You have asked two terrible questions. I said, when Lleyton hit a winner, I said, "He doesn't have that anymore." You've had a shocker. You've had an absolute shocker. He's had an absolute shocker.

(Laughter.)

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