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AUSTRALIAN OPENJanuary 17, 2012Alex BogomolovMELBOURNE, VICTORIA A. BOGOMOLOV/D. Gimeno‑Traver THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. Your first match, Grand Slam match, with Russia next to your name. Are you still getting used to that? ALEX BOGOMOLOV: Little bit. A little bit, yeah. Yeah, it's always good to get it done in three sets. My first time seeded. At 28 years old, it's kind of surreal but very exciting. Q. How were the conditions out there? ALEX BOGOMOLOV: Tough. They're tough for everyone I think. It's very windy, so you have to move your feet a little bit more. It's pretty hot. Yeah, it's a mental game, that's for sure. But, you know, last week was pretty windy as well, so I think guys are getting used to it little by little. But, yeah, you have to adjust, just like everybody. Q. Your off‑season preparation, how did that go? What did you do? ALEX BOGOMOLOV: It was good. It was smooth. It was at home with the family. I hit with Andy a couple of times, with Feliciano López, pretty good sparrings, with the juniors over there. Played a lot of sets, so, yeah, I was working hard. Q. A 28‑year‑old coming to this tournament seeded for the first time, do you feel like now it's a matter of keeping the momentum going? ALEX BOGOMOLOV: Well, I mean, you can't control the outcome of your career at the end, like at 28 years old. If it slips, it slips. I'm just trying to win every match, every point, hustling, trying to do the best I can. As far as the momentum, yeah, I've been winning a lot of matches. I think once you step on the court you have that feeling. The guy you play also knows that. I played plenty against other guys, you know, that I looked up their recent history and they won a lot of matches. It certainly gives you a little bit of a different mentality going against those guys. I'm one of those guys right now. Q. You tweeted earlier this week you would favor a strike. What specific conditions concern you, and what do you feel about what's happened in the past couple of days? ALEX BOGOMOLOV: Well, the specifics are within the players, really. I mean, basically, listen, guys, we love the game. We want to improve the game. We've had these meetings pretty much‑‑ I've been to the meetings pretty much the last 10 years already. So as far as the tweet, I was very excited as far as how the players were united. I've never been to a meeting like that before in my life. I know all these guys for 12 years already. The way everybody is sticking by each other, the way everybody is on the same page, is inspiring. For me, again, 28 years old, I'm trying to sort of improve the game for the younger generation that's coming up, for the fans, for the tournaments. Everything has to grow. I'm part of that right now. I'm at the end of my career. We're trying to make it better for the guys coming up. Q. Are you talking scheduling, prize money? ALEX BOGOMOLOV: It's just details within. I'm sorry. I mean, everything's an issue within the organization. And the players, we're just trying to make everything better. Q. You said you were inspired by how people felt at the meeting. What do you think it's going to take to see real concrete action? Is it going to take one or two of the elite players coming out and being more forceful in this or a collective response? ALEX BOGOMOLOV: I think it's going to be a collective thing. I don't think a couple of players is going to be enough. We've seen that fail in the past. I think it's going to be everybody has to be involved. The way it's looking, that's exactly what everybody wants. All the players mostly agree on all the issues that everybody wants to be fixed. All the players are behind everyone. And as far as improving, it's going to take some time. Everything has to be structured. Can't be irrational decisions. Everything has to be well‑documented with the right people. A lot of things can change. Q. You're talking about forming a proper union for the players? ALEX BOGOMOLOV: It doesn't necessarily‑‑ there's no time frame for it, but I think it's inevitable. As far as other sports, every sport has a players' union. I think eventually it will be a step in the right direction for the sport. Q. How likely do you think it is there will be a strike? You mentioned in your tweet it could even be here. ALEX BOGOMOLOV: Like I said, everybody is on the same page and everybody wants to grow the game and make it better. We'll see what happens. Q. Have you looked into playing at the Olympics? Is that a possibility? ALEX BOGOMOLOV: I hope so. I hope so. First we have to take care of Davis Cup in February, which I'm invited to. It's a privilege for me to play it. Once I play it, then the talks about Olympics can start. But I think you have to play a Davis Cup match or tie before you're even considered for the Olympics. Q. Have you been meeting with your Russian teammates here? Have you talked to them at all about the upcoming tie? ALEX BOGOMOLOV: Well, the meetings that we have with the players, it's, What's up, man? What's up? Who do you got? Who do you play? Do you want to practice? Once we're there already, I think it's going to be a totally different environment and there's going to be a team aspect. Here everybody is focused for their matches. But I'm playing with Igor doubles. Hopefully that will help us in the long run, as well. Q. Are you at peace with the USTA at this point? ALEX BOGOMOLOV: Yes. Big load off my shoulders. Everything is peaceful. Everything is good. Q. Any lingering feelings of having to pay them back? ALEX BOGOMOLOV: Everything is perfect. Q. You don't feel it was unfair? ALEX BOGOMOLOV: No. They invested their time and their finances in me. I think it was only right for me to pay them back. Q. Do you expect that to be carried out for anybody else who did the same thing? ALEX BOGOMOLOV: If I'm the blueprint for it I think it's going to be good for the future because now it's a structured kind of thing. So, yeah, I think it only improves the situation for the organizations and for the players. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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