AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 18, 2022

Daniel Evans

Press Conference

D. EVANS/D. Goffin

6-4, 6-3, 6-0

THE MODERATOR: To play a player like David Goffin in the first round, you must be very pleased to get through in straight sets.

DANIEL EVANS: Yeah. You know, it wasn't the easiest of draws. Yeah, he's not played so much tennis, and I have been playing pretty good tennis, so, I mean, I wouldn't say I was confident but I was happy, you know, going onto the court, I was ready, and I didn't leave too many errors out there. I played good tennis overall, and got broke when it was, yeah, really windy. Yeah, I didn't play the best game, but I have come through and finished strong, yeah.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. What's working so well for you so far this season, do you think?

DANIEL EVANS: I had a lot of fun at ATP Cup. Yeah, I wasn't too, too hard on myself in preseason. You know, no point in going after it in the gym when I didn't have too long to go. I got lucky. I got two matches in Abu Dhabi, which really helped to, you know, sort of focus where I was at.

So, yeah, I've just carried on sort of doing what I was doing at the end of last year. It was a long year. After this I will take a bit of time, my next tournament is Doha, so I get a chance then to rest a bit.

So it's been good, it's been working well, seems it's been the right decision. I have played some good tennis already. Hopefully get some more this week, and you never know.

Q. Is it difficult to bring that new attitude into a Grand Slam, your new relaxed attitude? It's obviously working for you. Have you not changed from what you've done in the past?

DANIEL EVANS: I mean, I've worked hard with Sebastian on mentality on the court, and, you know, joke around. You know, you don't ever really have a bad attitude when you play for your country. If you look at most people, they don't, you know, they are fighting for other things, not just yourself. Be a bit kinder on yourself.

You know, take a bit away from that in Davis Cup, ATP Cup, it was maybe pointing some things out to me which I could improve on, and that's what I've been trying to do since, you know, Davis Cup, ATP Cup, and Sydney, yeah.

Q. Who's pointed out the things you have improved on?

DANIEL EVANS: My coach.

Q. Your coach?

DANIEL EVANS: Yeah, yeah, Sebastian. We've been working on that since we started, that was one of the things. I think I did it pretty well in the US Open, as well. So it's been gradual, but I have been, you know, trying a little bit, drips and drabs here and there.

Q. We probably would have made more of your semifinal in Sydney if not so much else going on. Was that annoying when you didn't maybe get full value for that achievement?

DANIEL EVANS: It wasn't much of an achievement. Nathan Salt didn't think it was much of an achievement for me, wrote a decent article about my semi. It was nice of him. I think that was his name.

Yeah, it doesn't frustrate me when people don't write about the tournament. Frustrates me when people write nonsense about me, nearly getting defaulted and stuff like that, because I read it. Yeah, that's where I lose respect for why I would ever go out of my way for, you know, we have to come into this stuff, but when he writes stuff like that about me, I don't think that's fair. He maybe watched one match of the tournament, and, you know, a lot of people read that stuff and take it for face value. It wasn't face value (smiling). That frustrates me.

I understand where I am in the pecking order on Andy and what he did is great, but I don't appreciate that stuff. I imagine he's not even in this press conference. That's the problem with it all, you know. That frustrates me, Simon, yeah.

Q. Do you read much about yourself in general?

DANIEL EVANS: No, but people point it out. Someone mentioned saying I nearly got defaulted, I then obviously read what's been said, so yeah.

Q. Curious about your coach and how would you describe Sebastian as a coach? Just your kind of coaching relationship has developed.

DANIEL EVANS: I mean, I was skeptical at the start. He's Argentinian, I speak zero Spanish. His English is pretty good. But, yeah, it's worked well. He's very relaxed. Yeah, relaxed but fair. Tough, as well.

It's worked well. I have really enjoyed it. I hope he's enjoying it. I imagine he must be. He's still around. So it's been good.

I really enjoy spending time with him, as well. You know, it's different, different way to train and look at the game. It's definitely opened my eyes a bit, as well as I said in the first answer, mental stuff has really helped.

Q. If there were to be Popyrin, it would be an interesting draw after the last match you played against him.

DANIEL EVANS: Yeah, I was just listening, I think he went 4-3 up and it was pretty loud out there. But yeah, like you said, if it was to be him, it would be pretty interesting. Yeah, it would be definitely something I'd have to take into account is the crowd.

I played Bernard here, as well, it got pretty loud. There is a long way to go in that match, but it would be something I'd really look forward to.

Q. There are some players that get more out of themselves when they are on the wrong end of the crowd. Do you think you're one of those?

DANIEL EVANS: I don't know. I think you guys have seen it go both ways. I mean, they're pretty fair, the Aussie crowd. I mean, so I'm sure it will be a good match if he was to get through, but I think Rinderknech is playing some good tennis, as he was in Adelaide. They're both difficult matches, both serving from a hell of a lot higher than I am, so it's going to be tough.

Q. Just on that point about the crowd, I mean, if it is an Australian you might be quite late in the play, you'll obviously have the crowd against you and yet you'll be the favorite on paper. Talk about your mindset if it is Popyrin in that second round.

DANIEL EVANS: I mean, I think it's a 50/50 match if it was to be Popyrin. You know, I played, as the guys said here, it was, you know, a very tough match, I think -- I can't remember how long it was. Obviously I was two sets to Love down. He serves well, he plays well in Australia, like all the Aussies do.

It would be a tough match, but they're the matches you want to be involved in. It's not just, you know, if you don't want to play on the big courts against someone from in their own backyard, you're probably in the wrong business, so I'd look forward to it. As I said, Rinderknech, as well, is playing very good tennis and he's obviously winning at the minute, so we'll see how that goes.

Q. We might potentially have four Brits in the second round, five if Broady can turn it around against Kyrgios. What's that say about the state of British tennis? Do you feel like there is a change given what we saw with Norrie and Raducanu, do you feel things have changed for British tennis at all?

DANIEL EVANS: No. No, the problem has never been in these tournaments. You've got one guy in quallies, three or four in -- it's not these tournaments, as I know myself, it was never the problem playing well in these tournaments. It was the day in, day out stuff.

We're missing, there is a lot of people missing -- yeah, there is not enough people, as simple as that. Like Portugal, how many people they've got inside the 250 mark? Italy, that's the mark. It's not top 100. It's not inside. We need more people inside 250 coming to these tournaments. And, you know, five guys, five men and women in the second round, well done. It's how it should be, you know. In my opinion. I mean, I could be wrong, but, say, we're getting better at this level, but the lower levels, we need more and I think just, yeah, the top 25 in Britain is not strong enough, I don't think.

Q. Is that money, resources, or attitude, would you say?

DANIEL EVANS: You're putting words into my mouth.

Q. What's your solution?

DANIEL EVANS: I don't know what the others do, but we definitely need to get, they definitely need to get fitter and I think we need some more people in tennis involved in getting those people better, more people from tennis getting those people better, not -- yeah. That would be my suggestion. But more fitness coaches involved in tennis who have been on the tour, more, would be my suggestion.

But I have said that before. Yeah, seven, eight months ago. Still the same, odd injuries going on and stuff, yeah.