AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 23, 2022

Dylan Alcott

Press Conference

D. ALCOTT/N. Vink

6-7, 6-4, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Great to see you back out on court. Fantastic match. Obviously it was a tough start, but just talk us through it. Great to get through.

DYLAN ALCOTT: Yeah, he's a little legend, isn't he? So good. I probably wasn't myself for obvious reasons early on. But I think when the new rankings come out tomorrow, he won last week, he's No. 2 in the world. So for the No. 1 and No. 2 in the world to play each other in the first round is unusual, but great win.

I said to him at the net he'll probably win 20 of these. He's very, very good. Glad I could escape one last time, put it that way.

Yeah, awesome crowd, awesome energy, Australian Open is back. It was so much fun out there.

THE MODERATOR: Questions?

Q. You also talked about your semifinal against Niels in Tokyo, and you held him at bay there too. You feel him coming, obviously, that he's such a great talent. How were you able to hold him at bay in those times?

DYLAN ALCOTT: Probably because I'm an old, washed-up, experienced tennis player, I reckon. I think in life, not just in tennis, you've just got to find a way sometimes. Like in everything that I do, if I want to do something I just find a way to do it.

On the tennis court I'm exactly the same. Like wasn't the best I have played tonight but I found a way. I kind of ran away with it at the end there because I just kind of kept going, kept going, kept going. I was proud of myself, proud of our team, what we were able to do.

But, yeah, I was cooked there, I thought I was done. I thought I was about to put on the retirement video. I was like, no, lucky the screen is broken because the retirement video is coming.

So to fight on and get through to the semifinal now is pretty cool. Yeah, I'm going to go -- golden slam was like, it's just another match, and it is another match, but I kind of lent into that a bit. Here, I don't want to be, I was kind of like, do I lean in too much, and then it's too much of a big deal and then you can't play? But I probably didn't lean in enough until -- this is awesome, let's rip it up one last time. So I'm going to lean in from now on.

Q. Was it one of the harder matches for you physically over the years?

DYLAN ALCOTT: Yeah. Did you see me vomiting up pickle juice? I was on the pickle juice early in the third set. Whoever invented that, they need a raise.

So I was cramping, I was in trouble. But like, you know, I'm fit, I'm strong, I look good and I knew that I had done the work so I knew I could last. But a 19-year-old's got more energy than a 31-year-old. So I knew he wasn't going to go anywhere. He had a little injury at the end there, I hope he's all right.

But in those moments I played the big points poorly early. I think I played the big points well in the last set and that's why I won the match.

Q. How did you maintain sustenance with the pickle juice? I think you had a banana at the injury break at the end. What else did you consume throughout the game to get a feel in the body?

DYLAN ALCOTT: Yeah, I've had a million electrolytes, having bananas, and then I used to be -- I used to eat not much, because I wanted to look ripped and skinny, and that probably wasn't good for your tennis. I've lent into like eating more and not being -- having abs or anything, but just being stronger and fitter. I feel like I'm well fueled, which is nice.

Yeah, I think I did really good nutrition and working with a new guy called The Fight Dietitian. I got Jordi, who does Israel Adesanya and Volkanovski actually -- that's because I'm going to go on UFC and beat some people up next. No.

A new trainer -- my old trainer I went back to, Espinoza, we've been working really hard together, and obviously Francois and the whole team. That break was funny because he called for the injury back at the end of time -- a little sneaky -- and that normally, I mean, I'm not saying he's not injured but... A bit of gamesmanship to call it at the end and that might annoy me, but actually in a way fire -- not fired me up angrily, but I was like, Ah, that's it, let's get it done now. So then I had time to eat a banana, drink some electrolytes, have some pickle juice. I actually loved it, then I was good to go, which is nice.

Q. In the last set, I think there were two hindrance calls? The first one was on a breakpoint or which gave a breakpoint. What happened there?

DYLAN ALCOTT: I said, Come on, because I thought he missed and then I lost the point. What a dickhead.

I was just pumped. And then I straightaway said it and I put up my hand and said, I lost that point, because you can't do that. 100% cool with that. It didn't even annoy me actually, that I did it. I was like, yeah, at least I'm having fun. I was just trying to have more fun, so I was trying to be more vocal. The old Dylan would have been so annoyed at himself; new Dylan is like, Yeah, whatever, next one, let's go.

Q. I think you said sorry --

DYLAN ALCOTT: I yelled, Come on, his ball was in by like a meter. You can't do that. It's my fault. He deserved those points.

Q. You can talk about Niels a lot but what does his next 10 years look like?

DYLAN ALCOTT: I tell you what he is, he's fit, strong, has a good disability for move to tennis, no legs, so obviously power weight is awesome, but most importantly, when I came from tennis to basketball, I was hungry. I was hungry, and I wanted to rip everyone's heads off. I'm like his hero growing up. He wants to kill me, he doesn't get nervous at all. I love that. That's tough to do. I think that's cool. I really love that about him.

I honestly thought the crowd was going to make him nervous today. He played awesome. I think that's something I've always been able to do. I see a lot of myself in him.

Best thing about him is he's a good person, first and foremost. Good kid, good family, always, like, humble in victory or defeat. A trait that I really, I put a lot of worth into.

So good on him.

Q. What's the recovery block tomorrow?

DYLAN ALCOTT: Today more like it. Stop talking to you and then get some food, have a massage, ice bath. I just come to press first because I don't like being rushed. Then just get put back together. My massage therapist Phil is sticking around late for me. Good on ya, Phil, what a man.

Then I've got a big week; doubles tomorrow, semi Tuesday, got some other thing on Tuesday night which is happening. So, you know, I'm just trying to focus on here which would be cool and see what happens.

Q. Emotional at the end, obviously this would have been pretty lonely last year, no crowd and suddenly it's packed. You following the doubles boys as well?

DYLAN ALCOTT: Yeah, it was a mad vibe out there. I didn't get "siuu'd," which I was pretty happy about. "Siuu." I probably shouldn't have said that, now I'll get "siuu'd," damn it.

It was a great day. Those boys, me, Ash, all winning, but also I feel like everyone is getting around us. You might love, you might hate the tennis, I get it, it's been -- if you're not into it, you might go, Why is it even going on? I understand. But hopefully putting some smiles on some faces of people who do love it.

It's 50 percent capacity but it feels like a lot more, doesn't it? Because everyone is so up and about and really enjoying it. If you haven't come yet and you want to come in a safe way, get here. It's a great vibe and I'll keep putting on a show and enjoying the moments and hopefully make everybody proud.

Q. You talked about your offseason how hard you worked. Putting in that effort again, was that hard to do and to get back up for after doing the golden calendar slam? Because that's like the pinnacle.

DYLAN ALCOTT: I don't know if I should be saying this, but do you know what made me train hard? Hotel quarantine, because that thing, I can't tell you how much I struggled after the golden slam. Like, I had actual depression, hadn't seen my family, biggest moment of my life, and I'm in a hotel. I struggled. I got out, and I was like, I didn't even want to have beers with my mates -- I did, a few. I actually want to get back into it because I did nothing for two weeks. I ate junk food. It sucked, right?

So I went, I can do two things. I can dial it in this Australian Open, go out every weekend and half-ass it and lose, or -- because I can see the finish line -- I can go all in, all in, 11 sessions a week, every day, no break, let's do it, and I did. Best decision I ever made because I really enjoyed it, because on hopefully Thursday night I am never playing tennis again, and I cannot wait.

You know, I just went all in, and that's great. I'm really glad I did. I'm in a good spot, look at me, I'm chilling, I'm enjoying it, I was probably a bit uptight early but found a way, and I'm proud of myself.

Q. 14 days of quarantine after that win at the U.S.?

DYLAN ALCOTT: Two weeks, yeah, a full bummer. It sucked. Biggest moment of my life, and I was watching my good mate Max Gawn kick on, party after the premiership. And I was still in quarantine. Hadn't seen anybody.

I was so pumped for them, but I couldn't watch. I'm normally like the positive guy because it was really hard. For the right reasons. I'm not saying it shouldn't have happened. I'm just being honest.

But it made me want to go -- I didn't do any exercise for two weeks. I was, like, I'm never doing that again. I need to do it for my mental health, so I just went straight back to the gym. I'm really glad that I did and I look great, if I say so myself. That's why I'm wearing no sleeves this year. Shout out to Nike looking after me.

Q. That was pretty cool out there.

DYLAN ALCOTT: It was, wasn't it? I saw you sneak in there at the end, mate.

Q. I was there, yeah.

DYLAN ALCOTT: Really cool. I mean, people from overseas, you sent me a message, first thing you get to Melbourne airport, what do you see? Bang. Billboard of a wheelchair tennis player. Doesn't matter if it's me. Wheelchair tennis player.

That representation, three-quarter full Kia Arena on TV after Ash, it was humming. It just feels normal here, and I want every other sport and all around the world to have athletes with disability competing, putting on a show, but make it feel normal.

That was normal, and you don't need me anymore. Look at who I played today. He's got it covered. I'm not redundant yet. I will be redundant on Thursday. Hopefully Thursday.