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ROGERS CUP

August 5, 2019

Dominic Thiem

Montreal, Quebec, Canada

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Is this the best way to start the hard court season, coming off a Kitzbuhel title?
DOMINIC THIEM: Yeah, sure. It was such an emotional week, four matches on a sold-out Austrian crowd with my first title on home soil. Of course, was not the biggest title of my career, but probably the most beautiful one.

I couldn't get here with more confidence. Of course, it's a little short time to prepare. Not going to be easy with the switch from clay to hard court, only three days in between, and a very tough first-round opponent.

I really like the way I'm playing right now, so we'll see, yeah.

Q. 5-0 in Canada is not going to last long if you keep your confidence?
DOMINIC THIEM: It's a shocking stat. The tournament is really strong again now. Early loss can happen again in Pierre-Hugues or Denis, two incredible players, not the ideal preparation for me. But, of course, I'll try my best to get my first victory here.

Q. How does a win in Kitzbuhel inspire Austrians in your country playing tennis, coming up through the ranks, seeing one of their own can win a tournament in their home country?
DOMINIC THIEM: I think a lot because there were many players there, many upcoming players from Austria at the tournament. For sure it inspired them a lot what a great atmosphere there has been.

I played against Ofner in the fourth round. I think for him it was also a great experience in front of the sold-out center court. He played a great match against me. These home tournaments help for all the players from the country.

Q. How difficult is it for you, because it's been many years, not that many, several years since you're on tour, the first time you win on home soil. Now we have Felix, for example, who is barely starting, he's playing at home for the first time. In terms of pressure for yourself, is it something that deters you or something that helps you, excites you? What could you tell a young player from here to deal with the home crowd?
DOMINIC THIEM: Well, I mean, there are many differences because Kitzbuhel is still a 250, and this one here is a Masters, which is incredibly tough to win.

I think for Felix, especially now, it's a great situation. It's little bit like Denis was in two years ago. He cannot lose almost anything, he can only win.

I think every match they win against these great players who are competing here are amazing, especially if the home crowd gives you the great support.

The most important thing is to enjoy it because doesn't matter where you're from, I mean, we all play across the earth, never that many tournaments on home soil. Most important is to enjoy every single match, to really use the support the crowd gives you.

Q. If anybody knows the transition from the clay to the hard court, it's your coach. 2004 he won Kitzbuhel, won the hard court title in the Olympic Games. That is a big one. You're developing, you won 250, 500, this year you won the biggest one on hard court, Indian Wells. What is the most relevant feeling you add to your team? What does Nicolas bring to you, to this transition, can you summarize?
DOMINIC THIEM: In the transition from clay to hard?

Q. Yes.
DOMINIC THIEM: I mean, one of the important things now is I really looking forward to hard court to play again. It was a very nice and beautiful clay court season, but it was long. I'm happy that it's over now for a while, that I can go back on hard court for sure.

There are some small things to adjust. Here, I had my first practice before. I think it's pretty slow. The change is not that big. But still of course most of the time I return in the clay court season four or five meters from the baseline. It's over now. I have to get closer to the baseline again.

I can use my slice more. The serve is also a big difference. Most of the time I serve kick or three-quarters serves. Now I'm going to go full power flat again. These are three of the most important things.

Q. When we look at your social media, you share a lot of stuff on biodiversity, environmental concerns. Is that something as a player, when you go to tournaments, you look at what they're doing? Is that something that players are asking tournaments to do now, remove plastics, stuff like that?
DOMINIC THIEM: Yeah, I think it changed a lot in the last year. Many players are concerned about it. I think it's pretty easy that the tournaments improve because many things, the plastic in the racquets, for example, it was gone for the first time in Wimbledon. We don't really need it. These are, for example, things you can really avoid.

Yeah, I think every small thing helps a lot to help the whole big picture.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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