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AUSTRALIAN OPENJanuary 15, 2012Bernard TomicMELBOURNE, VICTORIA THE MODERATOR: Questions for Bernard. Q. Are you a bit nervous? BERNARD TOMIC: Little bit. You know, it's a good feeling, I think. You know, I'm ready to go. Have a good preparation, good confidence over the last few weeks. I think it's going to be an exciting match tomorrow. Q. The fact you played so well at Kooyong increased outside expectations a little bit. Does it change your expectations coming into this tournament? BERNARD TOMIC: A bit. You know, confidence is the key, especially before a major. I think I've got a lot of confidence now. Played well up in Brisbane and Kooyong. To be in the form, the right practice mode I've been in the last few months is a good feeling it's paid off and you're right to go for a slam. Q. Individually do you think this is the best form you've taken into a Grand Slam event? BERNARD TOMIC: Yeah, I think so, for sure. You know, feeling confident is a good bonus and a good key for my tennis. If I'm confident, I can go a long way, I think. Q. A lot of people thought given how much interest there is in the match it might be a night match. Do you prefer the fact you're actually playing during the day? BERNARD TOMIC: Yeah, I prefer it. I think if I played him at night, it would be much slower. I think he likes it slow. To play him during the day, where it's a little bit quicker, and a little bit more air can get in, I think it's better for me. Q. Did you get a chance to celebrate your win or straight back into the preparation? BERNARD TOMIC: Straight back in. I'd love to celebrate, but after this tournament, depending on how I go, I can celebrate a bit (smiling). Q. What is the key to beating a player like Fernando? BERNARD TOMIC: Just got to be more attacking. I think I've done that well the last few weeks. Even in Kooyong and Brisbane, I've been a bit more attacking. To beat the top guys, you need to step up. You can't play outside 50 tennis. I have a good chance, the way I'm playing, to beat him. Q. How do you keep your focus with a big event like this with all the leadup? BERNARD TOMIC: I'm one of those guys that I don't worry about the off‑court business, relax. It doesn't really take apart a lot, I think. Q. What is your record against Verdasco? BERNARD TOMIC: He beat me once in Brisbane I think when I was 16 up there. That was when he was on his run, playing well. I think, you know, the last six months he hasn't really done much. I think it's a good time to play him. Q. Before the Kooyong tournament you were asked whether you felt like you belonged. Given your performances last week and another good run, do you feel like you're getting into that bracket? BERNARD TOMIC: Yeah, I think I do. To play Kooyong, to have those matches under my belt, to win them all is great. I know I played them all in three sets. It's better to win in three. I played long matches, longer hours. Confidence is key, like I said, before a tournament like this, to play a player like Fernando. I think I have the right confidence before I play him, which is good. Q. Three or four five‑set matches, physically are you equipped for that? BERNARD TOMIC: Yeah, I'm fit. I played over the last three, four days a lot of three sets. I'm fine. I'm having today off, so it's good. Q. How far off do you think you are from your physical peak in terms of power, speed, in terms of age, relative to where you want to be? BERNARD TOMIC: I think I have a lot more to improve. A few years to get to where I want to be with my body. I keep improving every day that I play. If you improve every day a little bit in something, you can keep getting better. I think that's what I've been doing. I've done a good job at it. A few years really to go where I can really improve the most. Q. John McEnroe was saying the other day after the draw, given your form, even though Fernando is the higher‑ranked player, there would be more pressure on you. BERNARD TOMIC: It's a bit different now. Last year I was a bit younger. I could play a little bit more freer. Now people expect a lot from me. But, you know, I'm lucky and fortunate that I don't really worry when I'm on court. On court, I forget about everything. I worry about how to beat the player. Q. Is that something that comes pretty naturally to you, once you get on the court, all those outside things disappear, or is that something you've had to work on? BERNARD TOMIC: I think it's my style. I just tend to disappear. Thoughts are not in my head. You hear a lot of things when you're not playing tennis, then you think about it. When I'm on the tennis court, I don't think about anything, except trying to win (laughter). Q. Have you had a very good look at him the last couple days? BERNARD TOMIC: I have. I watched him a few times last year. I think I was supposed to play him in rounds if I won. I didn't. I watched him play the players, they beat me. Fernando's got one of the best forehands. If you keep the ball to his backhand corner, he's not going to hurt you. He serves pretty decent and he moves really well. If you attack the backhand corner, that's what I'm going to do tomorrow. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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