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BRISBANE INTERNATIONALJanuary 4, 2013Marcos BaghdatisBRISBANE, QUEENSLAND M. BAGHDATIS/G. Simon THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. You obviously like coming down here. What is it about Australia that makes you produce these results? MARCOS BAGHDATIS: Yeah, first of all, I think it's, okay, you need to get used to the jet lag, so like to get used to it as early as possible. The good reason is that, I don't know, the people here, you have so much positive energy from the fans. You feel like they love the sport so much and they give so much out there. Every day you come here the crowd, the fans, are here, it's full, it's packed, and I think it's a great privilege for an athlete to come here and be shown so much love. Q. You didn't look like you had any trouble today. MARCOS BAGHDATIS: Yeah, that's what maybe you think, but when you're in there, I mean, it's always tough. (Smiling.) Yeah, I started a bit slow, I guess, making some unforced errors. But then, yeah, I started to find the rhythm and playing very aggressive. So I'm happy the way I'm playing. Q. It's been a little while since you won a title. Do you think this could be one leading up to the Open? MARCOS BAGHDATIS: Why not? Why not? What I'm focused on is to continue the same rhythm I'm playing, continue playing matches like that, and find the consistency that I'm looking the last few years, which I don't have. I think that the title will come once I find that. Q. You've got a new add addition to your family, we read. Are you traveling together, or how are you coping? MARCOS BAGHDATIS: No, my wife and my baby are not here. Yeah, it's been great. I said it, and it was the best year of my life last year. Lots of emotions, lots of things going through my mind, head, and a lot of the changes. I think, yeah, it helps a person stabilize and see life a bit different. Q. The prize money for the Australian Open has gone up considerably in the lower rounds. It's as a result of player power really. What do you think of that? Do you think it's a good thing for the game that there is more money for the... MARCOS BAGHDATIS: I think it's a great thing. As a player, I think we will try to get and get more. I think we will get some more in the years to come. (Smiling.) Q. More prize money? MARCOS BAGHDATIS: Yes. More prize money, yeah. Q. Do you think it makes it more economically viable for more players to compete? MARCOS BAGHDATIS: Yeah, because I think a player who is 80 in the world, it's very tough for him if you see today the prize money. And also don't forget, we pay all our expenses when we come from a smaller country. It's not that easy, so I think it's great for the sport. We'll see more competition coming if the prize money comes up. Q. So it'll make life a little bit easier if you're qualifying for the majors to break even or make money during the year? MARCOS BAGHDATIS: Yeah, make money and also invest, which is the most important. Invest in your tennis and get better and maybe next year get back to the top 30. Because I think a young kid who has no money, if he gets to four Grand Slams in a year he can invest for his future, and I think that's very important. Q. Patrick Mouratoglou was involved in your grand campaign here, and now he's working with Serena. What sort of the impact do you think he's having with her? MARCOS BAGHDATIS: I don't know. Patrick was my coach for maybe two months, but not more than that. Yeah, I was in his academy, but he was never actually my coach. It was only two months coaching with him, so I don't know. Q. So he doesn't have any unusual techniques? MARCOS BAGHDATIS: I think Serena won 12 Grand Slams already, 11 without him and just one with him. I don't think it changed too much in her game. I think she's a great player, and he's lucky to be there. (Smiling.) FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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