AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 20, 2022

Taro Daniel

Press Conference

T. DANIEL/A. Murray

6-4, 6-4, 6-4

MODERATOR: Congratulations. Fantastic victory. Just what are the feelings in beating a former Grand Slam champion.

TARO DANIEL: Yeah, obviously a really good feeling. I feel like I've been keeping up a really good level since I've come to Australia.

Even in Adelaide I was in keeping a good level and kind of building on that here as well. So today, being able to do that for three sets straight against somebody who is, yeah, obviously a legend (laughing). And I felt like I dealt with the situation really well as well. So, yeah, I'm really happy with that.

THE MODERATOR: Questions?

Q. Would you say that tonight's victory has been the biggest one in your career? How much do you think that your experience in Spain made you the player that you are at the very moment?

TARO DANIEL: I think this victory is up there with the one with Djokovic in Indian Wells, but I feel like today I played better, and the kind of tennis I played today was the kind of tennis I would like to aspire or keep it, like this is my level and keep building on that. That's the kind of goal I have, I guess.

But in terms of who I've beaten, Djokovic is probably the greatest tennis player ever, so that's also a really big one. So but, you know, no need to compare too much, but I think, yeah, those two are the biggest.

Also, yeah, in Spain, it's the base of my game. I was there for 10 years and really grew up with a very, very Spanish, very Spanish, like, how do you say like up bringing. Like, the tactics, the way I hit the ball, the way I was living, you know, so I feel 30 percent Spanish a little bit.

Yeah, my tennis, like when I'm on court I speak in Spanish. So like I owe a lot to my upbringing in Spain, for sure, because I don't think I would have been able to make it as a professional if I spent the whole time in Japan or in California.

Q. Would you speak a little bit of those days when you were living in Valencia?

TARO DANIEL: Yeah, Valencia, I started living there when I was 13 years old. The first few years were quite difficult because the first year of my, I didn't speak Spanish, but from the second year I could speak Spanish fluently, so that helped a lot.

And then kind of gradually starting to really understand the culture, starting to understand how to play tennis there, how to interact with people was very important in order to enjoy my time there because the first few years it took, in Europe it takes time to get used to, but after that it kind of becomes your favorite place (laughing), so, yeah.

Q. I would like to know, if you want, where do you live now and train now and how is, who is your coach?

TARO DANIEL: Yeah, right now my official residence is in Florida, so whenever I, around the U.S., I train in the IMG Academy.

But I'm kind of all over the place. Whenever, wherever it's convenient at the time. Right before Australia it was pretty convenient to be in Japan because of the time difference, so I trained in Japan, did the off-season there.

But during Indian Wells and Miami and stuff I'll base myself more in Florida, for sure. And throughout the year it will be kind of half, half, a little bit.

Yeah, the coach right now, right now, I mean, I'm traveling a little bit with the guy from the Japanese Tennis Federation, Mitsuru Takada. I've been working on and off with him for the last few years. I mean, he's more kind of overseeing the whole thing instead of being a private coach.

And then I have a great team behind me, my physical trainer, and I'm still in contact with Sven and, Sven Groeneweld, we don't travel anymore together, but he's still supporting me in a different way. And obviously my mental coach and my trainer, Jackie Reardon, and stuff. So, yeah, that's kind of how it is right now.