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AUSTRALIAN OPENJanuary 16, 2012Bernard TomicMELBOURNE, VICTORIA B. TOMIC/F. Verdasco THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. You said out on court you didn't know how you did it. A couple minutes later, can you give us an answer? BERNARD TOMIC: It's very hard to speak out there after the match. It was probably one of the best matches for me that I played. Looking back to something like Wimbledon, I was down two sets to love and a break as well; won that in five sets, I think, in the second round. You know, I haven't played a lot of these five‑setters. So being not that fit, it's tough to put your mind to come through that, and I don't know how I did it today. One of those days. I'm so happy with myself. Q. Are you a little worried what might happen when you do get fit? BERNARD TOMIC: Yeah. Big problem then (smiling). Q. It was an extraordinary match, so many ups and downs. The way eventually you took it was like a very mature player. BERNARD TOMIC: Yeah, you know, it's very hard in that position when you're down two sets to love and having three set points in that second set. If it was someone else, I think they would have thrown in the towel. I don't know how I found the energy today. I knew I could've beaten him. I knew had so many chances to win the first and second. I think that's one of the reasons that made me push to win that third. After the third, I got the confidence. Q. How much are you training? We've seen pictures of you running on treadmills after you've played three‑setters and things like that. BERNARD TOMIC: Yeah, I think it's important. Even after Kooyong and stuff, the matches when I won I went to the treadmill for about 20 minutes. It's all about getting fit. It's being able to push yourself when it's impossible to win. And, you know, had I not done that fitness the last two, three months, you know, there's no way mentally you can be out there in that heat and turn around in a match like that and win. I think it was all fitness, the way I've been preparing the last few months. It's all paid off. Q. Will you be doing that here? BERNARD TOMIC: Yeah, I'm going to stop that for sure, have a bit of a rest. But tomorrow, you know, it's all about the future. I know I'm still young and matches go long like this, but I want to get to where I want to be when I'm 21, 22. I have a lot to improve. So even if that's listening to my trainers to do some work outside today, I'm willing do that. I think I deserve a rest, but... I know they'll give me rest. They me. Q. What was the thought process on the last point before you pulled the trigger? BERNARD TOMIC: I didn't pull the trigger. It was tough. I just switched the rally. I just went from cross to down the line. I can do that really well. There was no way I was going for a shot. No way. I just switched it and played something different and caught him out. He thought I was going in the backhand corner and couldn't run for it. Q. Were you disappointed to be playing in the afternoon rather than at night? BERNARD TOMIC: No, I requested that. Silly me (smiling). Did not know that the heat was going to be like this. It's the first day in the last few months where it's actually been this hot. I chose the wrong time to play. But lucky I won. Q. If you had the choice over again, a second‑round match, would you be looking at night? BERNARD TOMIC: Depends on if it's going to be hot like this. I would love to play when it's a bit cooler. I know I play Sam now, which is a good match. He's not a left‑hander, so it's a bit easier in a way. It's tough, you know, when Fernando gets that ball to my backhand. It's almost impossible to out‑rally him. Different opponent now. Night or day, I'm going to think about whether I play him night or day. Q. When you're in a match like this, can you draw on anything in the past, or are you so much into the match that all you can consider is the opponent in front of you? BERNARD TOMIC: Yeah, it's hard. Um, you know, it's not a good feeling, especially when you're losing. You see the fans just disappearing one by one. It's a tough feeling. Then you start winning and they come back one by one. Q. Do you think you showed people something about yourself that they might not have known today? BERNARD TOMIC: Yeah, I think I did. I showed myself, you know, something different. It's the hardest thing in the world in that heat, playing and, you know, and losing it like that. And having so many chances to win the first and second set, like I said, and to be able to turn it around, to be fitter than a player like that, to know that mentally you're there, it's a good feeling. He's one of the fittest guys on tour. I think it was a good task for me today. Showed me what I'm capable of doing. Anything's possible in the future when you're two sets to love down. Q. Was there any time in the match when his body language showed you something that you focused on? BERNARD TOMIC: Um, yeah, in the third set. He thought ‑‑ I had a feeling he knew I was going to go away. I eased off, as well, I think on purpose. I eased off and seemed I didn't care, and I think that's what drawed him a little bit tonight. He thought he was going to win that third set, and when the right time came, I broke him. You know, after that the third set, you know, he started getting a little bit tight and not hitting his shots. Q. So you set him up a little bit? BERNARD TOMIC: In that third set, yeah. I knew if I lifted my game early, he would have lifted as well and he wouldn't have let go. I pretended a little bit in the first few games in that third set to not be there as mentally, but in a way to still be there. Q. The idea of being a big‑match player, how much of that is in you and how much of that is something you can learn as you go along and adapt to the situation? BERNARD TOMIC: Yeah, you can learn about yourself, and, yeah, how in the future you can play. I think there's a lot of guys that get two sets to love down, especially in a Grand Slam, it's the toughest thing to come back like that, and they throw the towel in. You know, anything's possible if you keep trying. Same thing happened in Wimbledon when I was in the second round. I was losing two sets to love down and made the quarters. Anything is possible. Can't always give up. Q. How much of that is in you as opposed to something you're picking up as you go? BERNARD TOMIC: I always fight till the end. You know you're going to lose matches. You know you got to win. But it feels so much better when you win like this. Q. Compared to that Wimbledon match, you didn't get the overnight break you got there and conditions hotter here, so how much better is this win for you than that one? BERNARD TOMIC: So much better. This is probably the toughest five‑set match that I've ever played. To be able to turn around a match from a player like that just shows me what I'm capable in the future. I'll be down a lot more times in this position. You have confidence being down at a young age, being able to turn it around. So in the future, when I'm down, I can lift myself and give it a go always. Q. What did you learn from your last Grand Slam appearance against Cilic in New York? BERNARD TOMIC: Not a lot (laughter). Q. Just about the temperament. BERNARD TOMIC: Yeah, well, Marin is a different player. Everybody speaks about him in the locker room. He can beat everyone and lose to everyone in the top hundred. The day that he played me was ridiculous, and he played his greatest tennis. I think I didn't play too well in the second, but you learn. I had a good off‑season in Asia and in Europe. I'm going to lose tennis matches. People are going to play good. I'm going to beat players some days really good. It's just a matter of who comes ‑‑ goes far. That's it. Q. How much of the expectation of the Aussie public do you come in contact with? You get journalists asking you to do interviews. But in your daily life, do Aussies come up to you and talk to you about what it would mean to them for you to do well? BERNARD TOMIC: You hear it around. The crowd always want an Australian in the final to do well, best as they can, at a home slam. But they don't realize it's one of the hardest things in the world. To have so many world‑class players you have to beat on the way to get to the quarters, let alone a final, it's the hardest thing. I'm only going to learn and get confidence, and one day be in the position to get to the finals of majors. You got to work hard, and matches like this is what you need along the way. Q. Other players in Sydney talked about the experience they feel playing before Australian crowds. Is there any pressure, especially when you were 2‑Love down? BERNARD TOMIC: There is. You hear that a little bit. It's the hardest thing when you're losing and you know you want to do as best for the crowd and you want their support as much as you can. When they start leaving, not believing in you, it's a tough feeling. You think you can only turn it around and make them come back. Q. You talked about the crowd helping you out. You're not necessarily someone who interacts with the crowd and shows a lot of emotion. Does that feel like a disconnect for you? BERNARD TOMIC: Yeah, you know, it's tough. You focus on your tennis game, win the next point, little things. The people screaming, it's tough. You can only hear so much. There's so many things going through your head. In a way it helps when they scream out the right things. There were a few comments today that motivated me and made me play good from the public. Q. Have you had a standing ovation before? BERNARD TOMIC: No. This was the first time. Q. Did you watch Lleyton when you were growing up playing these afternoon matches here doing his warrior routine? BERNARD TOMIC: I did. A lot of his matches, same stories, did the impossible: turned around a match in this situation. You know, I think it's a good thing that I can believe in myself at this age. It can only be better for me in the future. Q. Have you learnt, being around Lleyton in Davis Cup? Have you taken something onboard from him? BERNARD TOMIC: I have. You learn from a player that's been No.1 in the world. Any player that has been No.1 in the world, you can pick up the best info from them. Lleyton, never gives up. That's one of the reasons he got to No.1. I think I had it in me today. I played a good tennis match, and believed in myself as much as I could. That got me through it. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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