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APIA INTERNATIONAL SYDNEYJanuary 8, 2013Bernard TomicSYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES B. TOMIC/M. Matosevic THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. Pleased with that, Bernie? BERNARD TOMIC: Yeah, I didn't play that good, I think. We both started a little bit so and so, but I think I played pretty well in that 3‑1, 4‑1 period and served really well the first set. It's very difficult getting contact with the ball off the return the second set. We were both serving really good, so felt like the rallies were starting to get shorter. But, you know, I felt pretty comfortable on my service games, which was good. Q. You've got a lovely change of pace. Seemed to pull out this lovely forehand down the line. Is that something you planned to do or is it something that comes naturally? Is it instinct? BERNARD TOMIC: Yeah, it comes naturally. I love to slice low and hit really low and get the chance it hit the ball. That's what I've been working on and doing quite well. Today I executed it pretty well times, but other time I didn't. At the end, I'm satisfied that I won, but I'm looking forward to tomorrow's match. Q. You hadn't played him in quite a while in a tournament. Did you notice any differences in his game? BERNARD TOMIC: Yeah, no, he's obviously got his ranking remarkably well and he's serving a lot better than he was a few years ago. That's why he's beating a lot guys. I think off the ground he is still a bit ‑‑ you know, lacks when you mix up the shots. When you change pace for him, he struggles with that. If you give him the same ball he's pretty good, but I do that well where I mix up shots. So I felt pretty comfortable today against him using that sort of tennis. He was missing really the shots when he needed to. Q. You've had some good opportunities already this summer playing Novak and Australian No. 1 tonight. Is tomorrow a good opportunity as well? BERNARD TOMIC: Yeah. Tomorrow is good revenge for me. I've played for Florian I think twice last year and both got my ass kicked. (Smiling.) So it'll be interesting match. I'm looking forward to it. Hopefully this time I can beat him. Q. Is the whole year about revenge a little bit? BERNARD TOMIC: Yeah, it is. It's a bit like that. Every player I play now I want to win and give myself the best opportunity and chance to win. Every match I go in now I believe I can win and I'm going to stay in there the whole match and fight for every point. That's when I'm going to be the best and most satisfied with myself. Q. The racquet you're using, are you using Head frame or a Yonex racquet? BERNARD TOMIC: It's a Yonex racquet. Just no time to paint the racquets. You know, it's just a different frame which I'm starting to use. I'm playing really well and felt comfortable with the racquets all throughout the last few months practicing with them. It's really good so far, so we'll see how it goes the next few weeks. Q. When did you change the frame? BERNARD TOMIC: Soon as I got back from Europe. You know, I decided to have a few weeks off, and then I changed racquets and practiced with them for a few months. Q. Marinko said there is a big difference in your serve. Is that what you spent a lot of time working on? BERNARD TOMIC: Yeah, I have, and it's showed obviously against players last week. Under pressure I'm having really well and winning 80%, 90% of my points when I really need to. When my groundstrokes are not working, I feel as though my serve gets me out of trouble now. I'm relying on my serve. My groundstrokes are really good and I'm moving really good, but on top of that I'm serving really good, so it's difficult for guys to break me. Before I was losing a few cheap service games in a set. Q. There has been a lot talk about Sam losing last night. You're starting to develop a good record here. What were your feelings before you walked out on court? BERNARD TOMIC: I love it. It's great. I've never had problems playing in Australia. I play so much better. The thinking is now playing overseas well like I play here. I believe I can do it, and this is motivating for me. Once you have a few months off and really train and get down and work hard, it's a great thing playing through the tournaments here and doing well. I thrive on that, so hopefully I can keep going after the season finishes here in Australia. Q. How much of the hard work you've done is on the mental side of the game? BERNARD TOMIC: I mean, a lot mental side on the mental side was on the court actually and not losing knew concentration on the court; whereas before I used to train a lot and get distracted and not play the right tennis. Now it's all about on the court giving the 100%. Whether it's two, three hours or an hour on court, it's just focusing and doing the right things and committing to everything. That's why I think I've been playing good tennis the last few weeks. Q. Is that challenging to keep that up? BERNARD TOMIC: It is, but it becomes a habit. Once you learn how to keep it up, it will come naturally and you don't have to think about it. The more I'm doing it now the less I'm thinking about it and I'm just doing it; whereas before last year it was very difficult to think about it, no time to train and to work on anything. Then it became difficult and I was struggling, so now it's coming good for me. I hope I can keep it up. Q. You had an Olympic medalist and a world champion swimmer in your box. How does swimming and tennis meet up? BERNARD TOMIC: Yeah, I'm good friends with James. He was on the Gold Coast a few weeks before and he spent some time there. We caught up. I know him from the Olympics. He's a great guy. I thought I would invite him down to watch the tennis. I'm sure he'll come this week and watch a few more of my matches, so it's good to have those sort of people in your box. He's done really well and he's really successful in what he's done, so to see those sort of people sitting in your box is good feeling. Q. Given the work you've done on your game, would you say there is a difference in your confidence level as to how you were feeling ahead of the Australian Open last year? BERNARD TOMIC: Yeah, I mean, last year I was feeling bloody good before the Australian Open. You know, I played well in Brisbane and won Kooyong and I was feeling stoked. But now I'm feeling different in a way. I'm much more fitter and I'm feeling 100% with myself. I think last year I was a little bit doubtful whether I would do well, but I did. Now I know I can do well. I've beaten great players, and I hope I get the chance to do well at the Australian Open and get a good draw and really do well down there. I'm here in Sydney now and I'm going to do as best as I can here. Q. Did you speak to Novak at all after beating him in Perth? BERNARD TOMIC: At the net he said, Well done; well playing. I spoke to him after and he said, Good stuff. You were serving really well. I couldn't do anything. Off the ground you were playing well. To get that feedback from a guy like this is huge. It shows you that even the best players in the world know that you're improving, so it's a good feeling. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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