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AUSTRALIAN OPEN

February 1, 2020

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What has impressed you the most with Dominic these two weeks?
WOLFGANG THIEM: First of all, I mean, it was a good preparation because we came to Australia already on 20 of December to prepare. Then he played the ATP Cup. We worked a lot on the fitness in Miami in December, then a lot of tennis in Brisbane.

At the ATP Cup he played some really good matches. He had a good win against Schwartzman and this close loss against Hurkacz, then more days to prepare for this tournament.

I think he increased match by match. I mean, there was this first round was a solid win against Mannarino, then there was this close match against Bolt, where he was close, two sets to Love. He lost the second and third set, he won in the fifth set. This was the only match where he struggled a little bit. But from this time, he improved or he got better with every match.

Against Monfils, he was very, very stable. Then the win against Nadal. He managed after this win against Nadal that he still is full of energy, full of intense, then played yesterday this good match against Zverev.

Q. He already had two finals in a Grand Slam. How much of this is going to help mentally do you think?
NICOLAS MASSU: Well, I think, of course, every time you play important matches like a final of a slam, you get more experience. Dominic already played two. Since I start to work with him, I saw one in French Open last year. Of course that helps that you pass this situation before.

Like I said before, Dominic is 26 years old. He's still very young. Also some few years in the tour, so he have the experience. He's a good mix.

I think it helps, for sure, because it doesn't matter sometimes which slam because the surface change, but the experience is that you go on court, you play against the best players in the world.

I think he arrive with a lot of confidence. Like Wolfgang said, we're right here 20 of December. We are here in Australia one month and a half, practicing, focusing on this tournament. Dominic was motivated to come early to prepare.

We work in Miami first, then Gold Coast for 10 days. So I think that the results are in the good way. We are very happy to start the year like this.

It's a big motivation to beat players like Nadal, No. 1 in the world, in the center court in a slam. Always make you so happy because you work for this.

Now he's looking forward for the match for tomorrow. Everyone knows that is difficult to play against Nole because he's unbelievable player. But if Dominic is in the final is because he deserve it.

Q. What happened with Thomas Muster, to have that end suddenly during the tournament?
WOLFGANG THIEM: I mean, we had some meetings in Vienna at the ATP tournament, then we were thinking to add him to some certain tournaments, especially to get his experience because he won French Open and was No. 1. He's also Austrian. We were thinking to try it out.

Actually after, yeah, two weeks, Dominic said that it doesn't fit together. I mean, he had some good experience. Of course, he was a really good player. But for me the most important thing is that the coach understands what the player needs and not that the coach wants to make a copy of himself.

I mean, Dominic is already 26 years, so he has his personality. This was for me the main point, that Dominic needs someone who gives him the space, who gives him the free space to develop, to play his game.

He always needs some advices, but short advices. If you have someone who says too much, who is too much into it, then it doesn't work. Hopefully he's mature enough now. After two weeks he said, No, it doesn't fit.

I mean, it was unlucky because it was during a Grand Slam tournament. On the other side, you have to try it out in such an important tournament.

So this happened, yeah. I mean, there was no bad word. It didn't work, and that's it.

Q. He's got a very good recent record against Novak. What has he done particularly well in those matches? How much can that help him tomorrow?
NICOLAS MASSU: Well, I saw three matches last year:

The first one in Madrid was really close, 7-6, 7-6, with good chances for Dominic in the semis. He lost.

Then in French Open, very long match, for two days, 7-5 in the fifth. Also really close.

Then at the end of the year in the Masters in London, the Finals, also really close.

The three matches that I saw, at the end of the match, because of two, three balls, goes for one side or to the other one. The good thing that they know each other. They play many times before. They practice sometimes also in the tour. I think for sure they are very motivated both to win tomorrow.

For me the most important thing that Dominic play his game. Every match is different because your opponents are different, and you can fix some small details that you can put on the court. Depends on the player you're playing that day.

I think he's playing really well. I'm really happy the way he's playing the last months. He won some tournaments. I believe since I start working with him that he can play every surface. Many people ask me before when he going to have the same results on hard court than on clay.

Before I start to work with his team, like a spectator, I always loved the tennis of him. I mean, is the tennis that I like. He's unbelievable complete player.

For sure when I saw him play before and I start to work with him, I believe that he can have these kind of results because his shots and the speed of the ball is amazing. He's a very complete player also. I think that today the results are showing.

Q. In what ways did you work with him to improve on hard courts? Where do you think the biggest improvement in his game has come over the past year on this surface?
NICOLAS MASSU: For me the most important thing is the confidence. You are alone in this sport. You have to take decisions.

But I think the most important thing here is when you get experience and when you get confidence. If you win one tournament or you play one unbelievable tournament like Indian Wells, for example, then you believe that you can make big things.

Indian Wells was like a slow hard court. The bounce was really high. Is perfect for him. But then he start to play very, very solid on that surface. Then he won in Vienna, finals in Masters in London, also Beijing. He was playing really, really well.

Sometimes small details make big difference. But I think it's confidence, that you believe you can play the same tennis in both surfaces. Why not?

Q. Did Indian Wells help you convince him of that? Had you already said, You can do well on hard courts?
NICOLAS MASSU: First of all, all the credits is to him. I mean, after this tournament last year he was sick, then he retire, then he didn't play the Davis Cup, then he arrive to Buenos Aires after some problems.

Of course, I think for me was a big motivation to try to help. I was there trying to do my best. Of course, when you arrive to a tournament like Indian Wells and you win, it helps you to believe that the work you are making is going in the right way.

But I tell you the same thing: it's confidence. When you are there and you believe in your shots and you believe in your tennis, is difficult to find the confidence like all the year, but I think now he's very regular. If you saw the results from the last month, he's winning a lot of matches in every surface.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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AUSTRALIAN OPEN

February 1, 2020

Nicolas Massu

Wolfgang Thiem