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January 12, 2011

Bernard Tomic

SYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES

A. DOLGOPOLOV/B. Tomic
6-7, 6-1, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Four wins here. You must be happy with your form.
BERNARD TOMIC: Yeah, very pleased. I can say that I played really good the last four matches. Really got a lot of the matches in, especially now leading up before the Open when I play.
I can't be for happier.

Q. Relieved to get a wildcard into the Aussie Open?
BERNARD TOMIC: I'm happy. Definitely my playing matches here helped me a lot, I think. I played three grand matches, and I think leading into it now, into the Monday, Tuesday, and the I take that confidence in, I think it will do good, these three wins for me here.

Q. How and when did you find out about the wildcard yesterday?
BERNARD TOMIC: I found out yesterday when it got released pretty much. I wasn't more aware of it -- same as you guys.

Q. Before you went on court?
BERNARD TOMIC: No, no, no. I found out when it got released. I was really more focused on this tournament. I didn't heard until it got released. It's funny.

Q. Are you a bit surprised about the attention in some circles that you're getting about getting the wildcard? A few people have written that it sort of can be too easy for you, et cetera, and maybe some agendas and things like that. What are your thoughts?
BERNARD TOMIC: Look, it's their decision at the end of the day. I can't decide if I'm going to get it or not. I can only do and try to play tennis as much as I can.
Yes, I had a bit of a strange December, but now it's January; I played three good matches here. I've actually beaten three top 100s in a row, and I think this is confidence for me leading into next week.
I think the wildcard that they gave they gave for a reason. Obviously saw I was playing well here. You know, we'll see on Monday or Tuesday.

Q. And Todd's comment that before the qualifying here that you hadn't done enough, your thoughts on that?
BERNARD TOMIC: Look, I agree with him. I didn't play a lot. Brisbane I didn't play that good. I had one match up there and it went very fast.
So I really needed something here. I think I played really good to beat all those players. And to play against a guy today, you know, and almost have a chance against a top 40 player -- I've played him before. I knew it was going to be a tough match.
I'm really pleased, so I can say that the decision, the wildcard they gave to me, I'm happy and I'll try my best and play well, which I think I know I can next week.

Q. What does playing matches do for your game? How does it change or improve your game?
BERNARD TOMIC: Matches is everything, I think. Confidence, you definitely don't feel the same when you don't play matches. When you play matches you feel different. You feel on the court more. You know what to do against these players.
When you don't play matches it's tough to come out on court. You can just get blown off the court very quickly. That's why last week in Brisbane I sort of learned a few things I needed to do, and I did 'em this week. I think it helped.

Q. You've had two great Australian Opens; got a wildcard and got through to the second round. There will probably be expectation that they'll want you to do that again. You prepared for all that?
BERNARD TOMIC: Yeah, yeah. Draws, they take a big role in this. So I'll wait for it when it gets released on Friday, I heard.
But I'll always try to do as good as I can at the Open. I always play good there. I think last year I had a great match at night against Cilic. If I get an opportunity to play a player like that in the tournament, I think I've learned from that experience and last year.

Q. You told us how much taller you've go. Tell us some of things that you've seen in your game that's much better or more improved than it was 12 months ago.
BERNARD TOMIC: Moving a lot better and serving a lot better. That's why I can I think consistently beat players now; whereas before my serve wasn't working and I was relying more on my groundstrokes and I didn't move as good.
Now I'm serving a lot better and I'm moving much better, and that's why I think I can win matches against these guys now consistently.

Q. Going back to the wildcard, are you surprised at all that certain people get on your back about it? Do you feel you deserve it? People are be a bit harsh on you?
BERNARD TOMIC: I can't really say that. I mean, it's their opinion. Everyone has got their own opinion; I've got mine.
You hear these things around, but you just try not to concentrate on them that much. I don't really concentrate on them that much, especially when the tennis is on. You don't think about those things. You just play tennis.

Q. How fast is your top serve?
BERNARD TOMIC: 206.

Q. It's come around.
BERNARD TOMIC: It has. It has. I can serve 210, but I don't know if I can hit it in. (Laughing.)

Q. Do you feel unforced errors are a problem in your game still?
BERNARD TOMIC: Um, yeah, it's a funny question because it depends what player you're playing. When I play a player that has a lot of time and gives me a lot of, time I won't miss a lot during the match.
But when I play players like this guy today that don't give you no timing, then I'm all over the place. So it's tough to say that.

Q. What went wrong today?
BERNARD TOMIC: Yeah, well, the rain delay helped me I think yesterday because the guy got on a roll in the second set. But I knew I had to hold serve. This was a serving game, whoever holds.
After he broke me, it was strange, because he has a great serve.

Q. What about the scheduling out on Court 6. Was that a weird one for you?
BERNARD TOMIC: I was surprised, you know, especially to qualify and play a top 40 player. I didn't know where Court 6 was. I went there; I played. I had a good set, and unfortunately I couldn't pull it off.

End of FastScripts

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